BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Justin Kluivert scored his first goal for Valencia to help Gennaro Gattuso’s side win 2-1 against an Osasuna side that finished Friday’s Spanish league game with nine men.
Kluivert, a striker, was making his first start in his fourth appearance since joining Valencia from Roma on loan. He made a fine run behind the defence, took a through ball from Edinson Cavani and chipped the keeper to score in the 28th minute.
Kluivert is the son of former Dutch striker Patrick Kluivert, who scored twice during his brief spell at Valencia in 2005-06.
When told that his father had scored for Valencia 16 years before, Kluivert replied ‘Madre mía! That’s a long time!
“These three points are very important for us because they come against a good team like Osasuna,” Kluivert said after his side’s first road win since Gattuso took over in the summer.
Defender Mouctar Diakhaby netted a second goal for the visitors after Osasuna failed to clear a ball from a corner in the 54th minute.
Cavani and Osasuna striker Chimy Ávila missed the penalties.
Chimy sent his luck high after Valencia’s Hugo Duro fouled Kike García in the 59th.
Osasuna played the final 20 minutes to one man after Unai García saw a straight red card for beating Samuel Lino with only the keeper to beat. Edinson, who is yet to score since joining Valencia, hit the crossbar with the resulting penalty.
Darko Brasanac got Osasuna in stoppage time.
Osasuna also lost Ruben Peña when he received a straight red for kicking Duro prone with play stopped with just seconds left.
Diakhaby also received a second yellow card, reportedly for using inappropriate language towards the referee, while on the bench after being substituted. Gattuso threw a cooler while staring at his defender, who will be suspended for the next round game against Elche.
“We have to stay calm and a player on the bench has to respect the referee’s decisions,” Gattuso said of his defender.
Valencia moved up to fifth while Osasuna slipped to eighth place.
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