Levante - Alavés: Espí’s late double hands Levante a vital 2-0 win
In a match that matters for survival, levante - alavés finished 2-0 at the Estadio Ciudad de Valencia as Carlos Espí struck twice in the final minutes to turn the game in Levante’s favor and lift the home side closer to safety.
Espí turns the game in the final stretch
Carlos Espí, a substitute forward for Levante, scored the decisive goal late in the second half and then added a second in stoppage time to complete a 2-0 victory over Deportivo Alavés. The first of his goals came deep into the second half and the second arrived in the sixth minute of added time, both finishes described as strong and well taken.
Sent-off left-back left Alavés to defend with ten men
The match swung after Alavés lost a defender to a red card in the second half; accounts differ on the exact minute—one version places the sending-off 15 minutes into the second half, another at the 61st minute—but the dismissal left Alavés reduced to 10 men and allowed Levante to press forward and dominate the remainder of the game.
Match details and the fight for survival
The fixture opened matchday 26 of LaLiga and was played at the Estadio Ciudad de Valencia. Levante sits second-to-last with 21 points and, by one account, is four points from the club that would be safe today with a game more played; another account notes Levante moved to three points from safety after the victory. Alavés now has 27 points, three clear of the relegation zone under one measure, leaving both clubs still embroiled in the relegation fight.
How the game unfolded: Alavés dominance, Levante response
Alavés controlled large stretches of the first half and finished that period with a heavy shot advantage—12 attempts to Levante’s three—and saw forwards Lucas Boyé and Toni Martínez combine with constant movement. Alavés goalkeeper Ryan produced at least two notable saves, denying Ibáñez and Antonio Blanco, while defender Dela cleared a shot off the line after a strike by Aleñá.
Levante struggled early to connect with Carlos Álvarez, who was highlighted as probably the team’s best player and who produced a near miss around the 10th minute and a shot that hit the post a minute and a half after the restart. An injury to Carlos Álvarez did not prevent Levante from taking control after the numerical advantage emerged.
Tactical shifts, substitutions and what changed
The dismissal forced Alavés coach Eduardo Coudet to reshape his team’s setup, bringing Facundo Garcés on for Toni Martínez to shore up the backline. As Alavés sat deeper and largely abandoned the attempt to play through midfield, Levante’s coach Luís Castro introduced attackers Etta Eyong and Iker Losada to increase the pressure. Levante’s goalkeeper Sivera made several important saves but could not prevent Espí’s late strikes.
Levante’s two late goals sealed the three points after a sustained spell of pressure, and Marca’s coverage framed the result as a boost to the home side’s hopes of staying up while noting that Alavés had effectively resigned itself to a draw before conceding.
Coaching headlines off the pitch and the immediate next steps
Off the field, River Plate is being linked with Eduardo Coudet as a candidate to replace Marcelo Gallardo; Gallardo led his final match with the Argentine club on Thursday. Coudet has publicly sworn "por sus hijos" that nobody from the Argentine club has called him. If an approach is made, any club would need to negotiate with Alavés: Coudet’s contract with the Basque side runs until June 30, the end of the season.
Levante will build on this home win as they chase safety, while Alavés must regroup with limited time left in the campaign; the immediate confirmed next milestone is the ongoing league schedule and Coudet’s contractual run through June 30 if any transfer talks proceed.
