In a match that completely upended the expectations of both the European race and the relegation scrap, Levante pulled off a sensational 3-2 comeback victory against Celta Vigo yesterday. The result at the Estadio de Balaídos acts as a massive lifeline for the visitors, while dealing a devastating blow to Celta’s aspirations of breaking into the top five.
The match belonged to two men: Celta’s Ferran Jutglà, who bagged a brilliant brace, and Levante’s resilient squad that refused to fold under pressure.
Jutglà’s Early Brilliance Fails to Save Celta
Celta Vigo started with intent, and it took just four minutes for Ferran Jutglà to open the scoring, weaving through the defense to slot a right-footed shot past Mathew Ryan. The hosts looked to be in total control until the 43rd minute, when Kervin Arriaga tried his luck from distance. A misjudgment by Celta keeper Ionuț Radu allowed the ball to parry into the net, leveling the score just before the break.
History repeated itself immediately after the restart. In the 48th minute, Jutglà once again found the net, converting a pinpoint cross from Javi Rueda to make it 2-1. At that moment, the Galician crowd believed the three points were secure.
The Great Levante Escape
Levante, fighting for their top-flight lives, staged a remarkable ten-minute turnaround that stunned the home support. In the 57th minute, Adrián de la Fuente unleashed a sublime long-range strike to equalize for the second time. Before Celta could catch their breath, Roger Brugué capitalized on a defensive lapse in the 63rd minute to fire Levante into a 3-2 lead.
Despite a late onslaught from Iago Aspas and the Celta front line, Levante’s “Socceroos” captain Mathew Ryan stood tall, making several crucial interventions to preserve the lead and secure one of the most important wins in the club’s recent history.
The Table Shake-Up
This victory propels Levante to 39 points, moving them out of the immediate drop zone and level with Espanyol and Girona. For Celta Vigo, the loss leaves them stuck on 50 points in 6th place, meaning their dream of overtaking Real Betis for a higher European spot is now hanging by a thread with only two games remaining.
• Claudio Giráldez (Celta Coach): “It’s a painful one. We controlled parts of the game but those long-range strikes killed our momentum. We have to fight until the end.”
• Next Up: Celta travel to San Mamés to face Athletic Club this Sunday, while Levante look to carry this momentum into their final survival battles.
