Match
Sadiq's first-half return goal earns Aguirre his first Valencia win at Elche
The Nigerian striker, back after two months out injured, scored nine minutes after coming on to seal a 1-0 victory at Martínez Valero.
FootVal Newsroom
Umar Sadiq came off the bench and scored within nine minutes of his introduction to give Valencia a 1-0 win at Elche in matchday 11 of La Liga, delivering Javier Aguirre his first victory since taking charge of the club.
Sadiq, who had been absent for around two months with injury, struck in the 69th minute with what reports described as a fine finish. Goalkeeper Dimitrievski then preserved the lead with a crucial late save in stoppage time to see the side home.
The result is only Valencia's second win of the season, lifting them to within a point of the relegation play-off places. Elche, meanwhile, remain without a home victory at Martínez Valero this season.
FootVal values Sadiq at €2.8m, slightly below his €3.5m Transfermarkt market value. The 29-year-old Nigerian is contracted to the club until June 2028 and had registered one goal in three appearances before this match.
Aguirre, asked about his decision to play Sadiq, was quoted by AS as saying: "I said that if I needed Sadiq I was going to play him no matter what."
Sources
This article is based on reports by:
- AS — San Sadiq y San Dimitrievski reviven al Valencia
- Mundo Deportivo — 0-1: Sadiq revive al Valencia en el Martínez Valero
- El Mundo — Sadiq rescata al Valencia en Elche y da la primera victoria a Aguirre
Written by the FootVal newsroom from the reports below, with figures from FootVal’s own database. Spotted a mistake? Tell us. · How we report