Sadiq Umar came up big when Valencia needed him most, scoring a late equaliser to secure a valuable 1-1 draw against Mallorca on Tuesday night.
The Nigerian forward showed sharp instincts in the closing stages to ensure his side avoided defeat in a tense La Liga clash.
Sadiq Umar rescues Valencia with late impact
Valencia struggled for long spells in the game, especially in the first half where they failed to register a single shot on target.
Mallorca controlled proceedings early on, with Sergi Darder pulling the strings in midfield and Vedat Muriqi posing a constant threat in attack.
The home side eventually made their dominance count shortly after the break. Samú Costa rose highest to head home Darder’s cross in the 49th minute, giving Mallorca a deserved lead.
Despite being second best in physical battles—losing a match-high 11 duels—Sadiq Umar stayed focused and ready for his moment. That patience paid off late in the game.
Umar delivers decisive moment in La Liga battle
Valencia pushed forward in search of a response, and their persistence was rewarded thanks to a well-worked move from the bench.
Substitutes Luis Rioja and Javi Guerra combined neatly to create the opening, and Umar timed his run perfectly before powering a header past the goalkeeper.
It was a crucial contribution from the Super Eagles striker, marking his second La Liga goal of the season.
His overall tally now stands at six goal contributions across all competitions, underlining his growing importance to the team.
At the other end, goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski also played a key role, producing important saves to deny Jan Virgili and Muriqi, keeping Valencia within touching distance before Umar’s late intervention.
The result leaves both teams still battling near the bottom of the table. Valencia sit 13th, just one point ahead of Mallorca in 14th, with only six matches remaining this season.
Mallorca remain just three points clear of the relegation zone.
For Valencia, Sadiq Umar’s late strike could prove vital as the fight for survival intensifies in the final stretch of the campaign.