Celta Vigo have opened the new La Liga season with a victory, beating 10-man Levante 2-1 at Ciutat de Valencia this evening.
The home side were dealt a blow less than five minutes into the tie as Simao was sent off for a stamp on Iago Aspas, leaving his teammates to play the majority of the match reduced to 10 men.
His dismissal allowed Celta to dominate the possession in the opening 20 minutes, but chances were few and far between, with the first opportunity falling to Aspas when Nolito played the ball in to him, but he was dispossessed before he could get the shot away.
Against the run of play, Levante had the ball in the back of the net with just over half an hour played, with Deyverson bundling the ball over the line from a corner, but the referee thought that there was a foul on goalkeeper Ruben Blanco, forcing him to rule the goal out.
The visitors broke the deadlock shortly before the break after Jonny made a quick charge for the left before cutting the ball back for Fabian Orellana, leaving him to slot into the bottom corner.
The striker could have added a second on the stroke of half time as he broke free down the right, passing to Nolito before taking the ball back, but Juanfran was in the right spot to block the shot.
Levante goalkeeper Ruben was under pressure again at the start of the second half as Nolito launched a powerful shot from the edge of the box, which the keeper parried, before tipping Orellana's rebound behind.
Having survived the early pressure from Celta, the hosts started to see more of the ball, and got back on level terms after Deyverson was brought down just outside the box, leaving Verza to curl the ball into the top corner.
The visitors looked for a quick response as they tried to regain the lead, but Daniel Wass fired wide, before Orellana saw his low drive deflected wide.
Celta's persistence paid off inside the final 15 minutes as Ivan Lopez failed to clear a cross from Wass, allowing Aspas to get a shot away, before the defender turned it into his own net while attempting a clearance.
The visitors could have added a third late on as John Guidetti came off the bench, attempting to head in from a corner, but the Swedish striker could not reach it in time.
Sian Cowper
