Valencia Football Club secured its place in the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey by taking a 1-2 victory in extra time against Cartagena, a team from the second division that had led until the 73rd minute. Cartagena faced a difficult end when Iván Calero received a controversial red card in the 46th minute, leaving the home side with ten men for the remainder of the match.
Cartagena began with high intensity and a clear plan to attack. In the 2nd minute, Iván Calero sent a header narrowly wide, and just two minutes later Alfredo Ortuño controlled a ball and finished with precision after a through pass from Damián Musto, giving Cartagena an early lead.
The home side pressed forward with confidence, holding the upper hand on the scoreboard as their opponents struggled to build meaningful chances and tended to retreat under pressure rather than probe with fluid passing moves.
The first half closed amid controversy as Calero was dismissed directly for a foul on Fran Pérez. The referee, Jorge Figueroa Vázquez, adjudged a foul that he deemed severe enough to warrant a straight red card, sending the defender to the dressing room as the teams prepared for the break.
During the interval, Valencia coach Rubén Baraja reorganized his plans. He introduced Sergi Canós and Roman Yaremchuk to bolster the attack, replacing Fran Pérez and Hugo Guillamón as part of an offensive shift aimed at overturning the deficit.
The match swung to a 10 versus 11 scenario, with Valencia taking the initiative and pressing a compact Cartagena side that defended stubbornly and kept the door closed for most of the period.
Valencia’s captain José Luis Gayà and striker Hugo Duro remained prominent as the clock ticked on. They watched gaps appear as the game wore on, with balls pinging across the area as Yaremchuk loomed for a header and Diego López produced a crucial clearance against a relentless black-and-white defense.
Baraja tried different angles from distance, but the breakthrough finally came when Sergi Canós unleashed a superb strike in the 73rd minute after a short corner from Gayà, leveling the score and injecting new energy into Valencia. That late equalizer showcased how the substitutions had shifted the balance in the second half and reminded the team of its attacking intent.
With the score level at 1-1, the match settled into a more measured rhythm, with neither side pushing aggressively enough to claim control in normal time. In the dying minutes, Cartagena brought on a younger talent, David Otorbi, aged sixteen years and two months, notable for being one of the youngest players to feature for the club at senior level. His appearance highlighted Cartagena’s willingness to give opportunities to youth in a cup tie.
The contest moved into extra time, already a significant achievement for Cartagena, who had stood up to a top-flight opponent through a determined performance.
Seconds into overtime, Jaume Doménech faced a dangerous shot from Lautaro de León, clearing the danger with a sharp reflex. Shortly after, a corner routine gave Cartagena another warning, as Pedro Alcalá’s effort required careful attention from the Valencia defense.
Valencia then struck decisively as Gayà delivered a diagonal through-ball that found Yaremchuk on the break, and his shot caromed past the goalkeeper Raúl Lizoain to put the visitors ahead. The defensive miscommunication between Cartagena’s goalkeeper and back line sealed the moment, delivering Valencia a lead they would not relinquish in the extra period.
From there, Cartagena pressed forward in desperation but found chances scarce. Tomás Alarcón forced a deflected attempt that went wide, and a handful of corner kicks failed to yield a critical equalizer. Valencia rode out the pressure and earned a coveted spot in the round of 16, showcasing resilience after going a man light for part of the game.
Data sheet:
Fútbol Club Cartagena: Raúl Lizoain; Iván Calero, Alcalá, Gonzalo Verdú, Jony Álamo, Fontán, Jairo, Musto, Luis Muñoz, Mikel Rico, Tomás Alarcón, Alfredo Ortuño. Substitutions: Umaro Embaló for Fontán, m.106; Lauti for Jairo, m.90+1; Jansson for Ortuño, m.67; Jony Álamo for Verdú, m.67; Llamas for Muñoz, m.96. Goals: Ortuño 4’; Canós 73’; Gayà 106’.
Valencia Football Club: Jaume Doménech; Thierry Correia, Camara, Cenk, Jesús Vázquez; Gayà, Pepelu, Hugo Guillamón, Javi Guerra; Diego López, Fran Pérez. Substitutions: Gayà for Vázquez, m.61; Yaremchuk for Guillamón, m.46; Canós for Pérez, m.46; Pablo Gozálbez for Pepelu, m.100; David Otorbi for López, m.81; Hugo Duro for Marí, m.61. Goals: Canós 73’; Gayà 106’.
Referee: Jorge Figueroa Vázquez. Cautions: Alcalá, Muñoz, Fontán, Musto for Cartagena; Pepelu and Cenk for Valencia. Red card: Iván Calero (Cartagena) at 45+1. Attendance: approximately 9,000 at the Cartagonova stadium in Cartagena.