Celta Vigo beats Valencia 3-1 for second straight win to start La Liga season

Celta Vigo marked the 101st anniversary of the club's founding with a 3-1 win over Valencia on Friday for a second straight league win to start the season.

It marked the first time since 2015 the Galician club has won its first two matches of the season and handed Valencia a second straight loss.

Celta's captain and talismanic striker Iago Aspas was again at the heart of events. He scored for the second game in a row and then missed a penalty shortly before halftime.

Diego Lopez had put Valencia ahead after 14 minutes when he converted from close range after a goalmouth scramble, but Celta equalized midway through the first half when Oscar Mingueza volleyed home to complete a neat team move.

Aspas’ goal came five minutes later when the 37-year-old forward took a weighted throughball from Mingueza and finished perfectly into the bottom corner.

Valencia keeper Giorgi Mamardashvili then saved Aspas’ spot kick in first-half injury time but Fran Beltrán added the third goal on the hour mark with a classy strike from the edge of the penalty area.

Valencia's run of nine games without a win — dating back to last season — is its worst under one coach since Gary Neville led the club in 2016.