Lee scores late to help Valencia end winless streak in Spain

Young South Korean midfielder Lee Kang-in scored in the 89th minute to help Valencia end a four-game winless streak with a 2-1 victory over Valladolid in the Spanish league on Tuesday.

Lee scored with a low left-foot shot from outside the area to keep Valencia in the fight for a Europa League spot. It is one point behind seventh-place Real Sociedad with three rounds to go.

It was Valencia's second win in eight matches since the league resumed. It also has three draws and four losses after the coronavirus break, with its only victory against Osasuna at home last month.

“We were coming off poor results but we got the three points and we will keep fighting until the end,” Gómez said. “We deserved to get a victory.”

Valencia had conceded an 86th-minute equalizer in a 2-2 draw at Granada on Saturday. It had lost three straight before that.

Valladolid, which has two wins since the break, stayed in 13th place.

Maxi Gómez put Valencia ahead in the 30th and the visitors equalized through Victor Garcia early in the second half.

The 19-year-old Lee, who came on as a substitute midway through the second half, had scored only once for Valencia, in a league game against Getafe last September. He made headlines earlier this season for late red cards in matches against Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid.

Real Madrid has a four-point lead over Barcelona at the top. The Catalan club hosts last-place Espanyol on Wednesday, while Madrid hosts Alavés on Friday.

Image credits: AP