VITORIA-GASTEIZ, Spain, September 15, 2026: Valencia had spent five La Liga matches waiting for a victory.
The player who finally delivered it knew Mendizorroza better than almost anyone wearing orange.
Luis Rioja scored in the 78th minute against his former club as Valencia beat Deportivo Alavés 1-0 on Tuesday, ending a winless start that had already cost Carlos Corberán his job and pushed the six-time Spanish champions to the bottom of the table.
It was a result Valencia desperately needed and an opponent few would have chosen for the assignment.
Story at a glance
Alavés vs Valencia Result: What Was the Final Score?
Valencia beat Deportivo Alavés 1-0 at Mendizorroza in Matchday 6 of La Liga.
Who Scored for Valencia Against Alavés?
Luis Rioja scored Valencia’s winner in the 78th minute.
Why Was Luis Rioja’s Goal Against Alavés So Significant?
Because Valencia needed far more than another encouraging performance.
Did Valencia Win Their First La Liga Match of the Season?
Yes.
What Changed for Valencia Under Óscar Sánchez?
The most obvious change was control.
Alavés entered Matchday 6 with 10 points from five games after one of the strongest starts in La Liga, while Valencia arrived with only one point, one goal scored and four consecutive defeats.
Interim coach Óscar Sánchez therefore inherited a team carrying far more anxiety than momentum.
He left Vitoria with three points.
The decisive moment belonged to Rioja, who spent five seasons with Alavés, made 189 appearances for the club and became one of its captains before moving to Valencia.
His return to Mendizorroza had already carried emotion. Scoring the goal that ended Valencia’s crisis gave it considerably more weight.
The result also offered an immediate answer after Valencia’s 1-0 defeat at Sevilla deepened concerns around their attack and ultimately preceded the coaching change.
Alavés vs Valencia: Key Facts
- Result: Deportivo Alavés 0-1 Valencia
- Competition: La Liga 2026-27, Matchday 6
- Venue: Mendizorroza, Vitoria-Gasteiz
- Goal: Luis Rioja, 78′
- Shots: Alavés 15-9 Valencia
- Shots on target: Alavés 3-4 Valencia
- Possession: Alavés 38%-62% Valencia
- Passes: Alavés 313-481 Valencia
- Pass accuracy: Alavés 78%-84% Valencia
- Corners: Alavés 2-5 Valencia
- Valencia recorded their first league win of the season
- Óscar Sánchez won his first match as interim Valencia coach
Alavés vs Valencia Result: What Was the Final Score?
Valencia beat Deportivo Alavés 1-0 at Mendizorroza in Matchday 6 of La Liga.
Luis Rioja scored the only goal in the 78th minute.
| Match Detail | Alavés | Valencia |
|---|---|---|
| Final score | 0 | 1 |
| Shots | 15 | 9 |
| Shots on target | 3 | 4 |
| Possession | 38% | 62% |
| Passes | 313 | 481 |
| Pass accuracy | 78% | 84% |
| Corners | 2 | 5 |
| Fouls | 7 | 13 |
The fixture was officially listed as a Matchday 6 game at Mendizorroza on the La Liga match center.
Who Scored for Valencia Against Alavés?
Luis Rioja scored Valencia’s winner in the 78th minute.
The identity of the scorer gave the result its strongest narrative.
Rioja spent five seasons with Alavés between 2019 and 2024, became one of the team’s captains and made 189 appearances for the Basque club before joining Valencia.
Valencia themselves highlighted that history when the club documented Rioja’s return to Vitoria last season.
Mendizorroza was once the place where his runs down the left helped Alavés.
On Tuesday, one decisive contribution damaged them.
Why Was Luis Rioja’s Goal Against Alavés So Significant?
Because Valencia needed far more than another encouraging performance.
They needed a result.
The opening five league games had produced one draw and four defeats.
The team had scored once.
Barcelona had beaten them 5-0.
Sevilla then won 1-0 despite Valencia holding slightly more possession.
The Sports Encounter’s analysis of the Sevilla defeat identified the lack of attacking threat as the clearest warning sign. Valencia managed only four attempts and one shot on target that night.
At Mendizorroza, they produced only nine attempts.
The difference was that four tested the goalkeeper and one went in.
Rioja therefore did something Valencia had repeatedly failed to do during the opening month.
He turned possession into a decisive moment.
Did Valencia Win Their First La Liga Match of the Season?
Yes.
The 1-0 victory over Alavés was Valencia’s first league win of the 2026-27 season.
Their first five matches had produced:
- one draw
- four defeats
- one goal scored
- 10 goals conceded
The draw came during the opening sequence of the season, when Valencia and Celta played out the only goalless match covered in TSE’s opening La Liga weekend review.
What followed was much more damaging.
By the time Valencia reached Vitoria, the problem was no longer simply form.
It had become a crisis of confidence, leadership and direction.
What Changed for Valencia Under Óscar Sánchez?
The most obvious change was control.
Valencia finished with 62% possession and completed 481 passes compared with Alavés’ 313.
That did not prevent the hosts from creating more total shots, but it gave Valencia more command over where the match was played and prevented the game from becoming an open exchange.
Sánchez had only taken charge after Corberán’s dismissal and entered his first senior La Liga match with very little preparation time.
His background is largely rooted in Valencia’s academy structure.
The club renewed him as VCF Mestalla coach in June after he won four of his first six matches with the reserve team and oversaw 18 goals during that run.
The first-team situation was considerably more difficult.
Valencia needed emotional stability as much as tactical innovation.
Tuesday provided both, at least for one night.
Why Óscar Sánchez’s First Valencia Win Matters
One match cannot determine whether Sánchez should remain in charge long term.
It can change the atmosphere around a team.
Valencia entered Mendizorroza expecting another difficult night against opponents who had won three of their opening five matches.
Instead, the interim coach leaves with Valencia’s first clean-sheet victory of the league season and the first three-point return of the campaign.
For a team that had spent weeks discussing what had gone wrong, the value of finally having something positive to build on is obvious.
Why Did Alavés Lose Despite Having More Shots?
Alavés attempted 15 shots to Valencia’s nine.
That figure suggests attacking activity.
The shots-on-target numbers tell a different story.
Valencia put four attempts on target.
Alavés managed three.
The visitors therefore combined lower shot volume with slightly better accuracy.
They also controlled more possession and completed 168 more passes.
This was not a match where Valencia simply defended their penalty area for 90 minutes and stole a goal.
They had enough of the ball to dictate long spells while keeping the game within a manageable scoring range.
That distinction has appeared frequently in La Liga this season.
Real Sociedad recently produced 17 shots and 11 corners against Celta without scoring.
Attacking volume matters.
Conversion decides the score.
Has Alavés’ Fast Start Started to Slow Down?
Two consecutive defeats have changed the mood around one of La Liga’s early surprises.
Alavés opened the season with three victories and one draw from their first four matches.
That run included 10 goals and lifted them into second place after Matchday 4.
TSE’s Matchday 4 review highlighted Alavés as one of the most significant early-season stories after their explosive start.
The first setback arrived at Racing Santander.
Ville Koski put Alavés ahead, but Yassir Zabiri scored twice as Racing won 2-1.
Our Matchday 5 report described that result as the first real interruption to Alavés’ early momentum.
Valencia have now made it two defeats in succession.
The important question is whether that represents regression or simply the first normal correction after an unusually strong opening month.
How Did Luis Rioja’s Return Change Valencia?
Rioja’s value is broader than the goal.
Valencia have lacked reliable width, penetration and experience during a difficult start.
Rioja offers all three.
His history in Spanish football is considerable, and Valencia extended his contract through June 2027 after recognizing his importance to the squad.
The club’s official contract extension announcement described him as a key figure whose experience and competitive character had also made him an important reference point for younger players.
Those qualities become more valuable when a team is struggling.
Valencia needed somebody comfortable enough with the pressure of Mendizorroza to remain calm when the match was still scoreless late in the second half.
Rioja had played there 189 times for Alavés.
Pressure was unlikely to surprise him.
What Does Alavés 0-1 Valencia Mean for the La Liga Table?
At the final whistle, Alavés remained fourth with 10 points while Valencia moved up to 17th with four points.
Those positions remain provisional while the rest of Matchday 6 is completed.
The official La Liga standings will continue to update as the remaining fixtures are played.
The movement matters more for Valencia.
One victory does not erase a poor first month, but four points look psychologically very different from one.
The gap between crisis and recovery can be surprisingly small in September because the table remains compressed.
That was evident elsewhere during recent rounds. Osasuna moved quickly upward through an unbeaten start, while teams such as Celta and Málaga have struggled to turn competitive performances into enough points.
What Is Next for Valencia After the Alavés Win?
Valencia return home to face Real Sociedad on September 20.
That match will show whether the Mendizorroza victory represents a genuine reset or simply one successful evening after a difficult month.
Real Sociedad have already shown how dangerous they can be when their finishing improves. Their 3-2 victory over Elche was built on a late Luka Sučić winner after losing a two-goal advantage.
Alavés travel to Athletic Club on September 19.
For both sides, the next game arrives quickly.
For Valencia, that may actually help.
After weeks of carrying a losing run into every match, they can finally prepare for one while carrying a win.
Why This Valencia Win Feels Bigger Than Three Points
Valencia’s season is nowhere near repaired.
They have four points from six games.
They remain close to the bottom.
The club is still searching for permanent stability after another coaching change.
Its attack remains far from prolific.
None of that disappeared because Rioja scored once in Vitoria.
What changed is the direction of the conversation.
For the first five rounds, every result added another question.
Could Valencia score?
Could Corberán turn it around?
Could the squad handle the pressure?
Could they avoid being dragged into another relegation battle?
Mendizorroza supplied a different question.
Can they build from this?
The answer will take longer than one night.
But Valencia finally have a result worth building from.
And there is something fitting about the man who produced it.
Luis Rioja once helped Alavés turn Mendizorroza into a difficult place for visiting teams.
On Tuesday, he returned wearing Valencia colors and turned it into the place where their season finally began.
For continuing La Liga match reports, Spanish football analysis and results coverage, visit The Sports Encounter Soccer hub. Recent league coverage also includes Málaga’s late draw with Celta, another match shaped by how much one second-half moment can alter the meaning of an entire night.
Continue the La Liga Story
Frequently Asked Questions About Alavés vs Valencia
Who won Alavés vs Valencia?
Valencia beat Deportivo Alavés 1-0 at Mendizorroza in La Liga Matchday 6.
Who scored for Valencia against Alavés?
Luis Rioja scored the only goal of the match in the 78th minute.
Did Luis Rioja play for Alavés?
Yes. Rioja spent five seasons with Deportivo Alavés, made 189 appearances and became one of the club’s captains before joining Valencia.
Was Alavés vs Valencia Luis Rioja’s first game back at Mendizorroza?
No. Rioja had previously returned to the stadium as a Valencia player, but his 2026 goal carried particular significance because it delivered Valencia’s first league win of the season.
Was this Valencia’s first La Liga win of 2026-27?
Yes. Valencia entered the match with one draw and four defeats from their first five league games.
Who is Valencia’s interim coach?
Óscar Sánchez took temporary charge of the first team after Carlos Corberán was dismissed following Valencia’s poor start.
Did Óscar Sánchez win his first Valencia match?
Yes. Valencia beat Alavés 1-0 in his first match as interim first-team coach.
How many shots did Alavés have against Valencia?
Alavés had 15 shots, with three on target.
How many shots did Valencia have?
Valencia attempted nine shots and put four on target.
Who had more possession in Alavés vs Valencia?
Valencia had 62% possession compared with Alavés’ 38%.
Where was Alavés vs Valencia played?
The match was played at Mendizorroza in Vitoria-Gasteiz.
Where are Valencia in the La Liga table?
Valencia moved to 17th with four points at the final whistle, although the position remained provisional while Matchday 6 continued.
Where are Alavés in the La Liga table?
Alavés remained fourth with 10 points immediately after the match, pending the remaining Matchday 6 fixtures.
When do Valencia play next?
Valencia are scheduled to host Real Sociedad on September 20.
When do Alavés play next?
Alavés are scheduled to visit Athletic Club on September 19.
