Real Oviedo staged a sensational late comeback, scoring twice in as many minutes to beat Valencia 2-1 at the Estadio Mestalla for a first away H2H victory since 1988.
With this game pushed back due to warnings of extreme rainfall the day before, Valencia were keen to make up for lost time as they raced into a fourth-minute lead.
It was the simplest of moves that sparked it, as Luis Rioja’s cross from the right found Arnaut Danjuma at the back post, and the Dutchman scored for a second successive game with an acrobatic scissor kick to break the deadlock.
Danjuma was clearly hungry for more goals, with only an impressive reflex save from Aarón Escandell denying him a second strike on the 10-minute mark.
As none of Valencia’s six league games this term had produced more than a single goal before the break, the chances of an immediate Oviedo fightback appeared slim.
Veljko Paunovic’s men eventually settled into the contest, but calling Julen Agirrezabala into action was proving tricky, as Lucas Ahijado and Santiago Colombatto both sent long-range efforts over the bar.
To Oviedo’s credit, Los Che’s stopper was eventually called into action to keep out Colombatto before the break, but that only prolonged the visitors’ wait for an away goal since returning to the top flight.
A slow start to the second period prompted Carlos Corberan into a triple change just 10 minutes after the restart, and that certainly helped inject greater energy into the hosts.
One of those substitutes, Diego Lopez, laid on a chance for the livewire Danjuma, but he could only drag his left-footed shot across goal and wide of the target.
Another chance fell Danjuma’s way in the closing stages – this time from the penalty spot – after Alberto Reina was penalised for an elbow strike on Mouctar Diakhaby.
However, Escandell was equal to the task from 12 yards, brilliantly diving to his left to save and keep the visitors in the contest.
That save was instrumental to Oviedo’s fortunes, as they stunningly turned the game on its head with goals in the 85th and 86th minutes.
First, penalty box pinball allowed Luka Ilic to stab home from close range, before Ahijado released Salomon Rondón over the top, and the Venezuelan’s shot took a wicked deflection on its way over Agirrezabala.
Despite seeing Ilic sent off for a late challenge in stoppage time, Oviedo held on to climb out of the relegation zone thanks to their second win in seven matches since promotion, while Valencia succumbed to just a third defeat in 14 home league games.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Aaron Escandell (Real Oviedo)