Valencia took another significant step towards securing Champions League qualification for next season with a 1-0 win at Getafe.
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Jeremy Mathieu got the only goal of a disappointing game a minute before halftime as Ernesto Valverde's men made it three wins in a row.
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Roberto Soldado and Sofiane Feghouli missed good chances to double Valencia's advantage after the break, but Los Che held on to move three points clear of Real Sociedad in fourth with the Basques travelling to face Sevilla later on Saturday night.
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Valencia's free-scoring form of late has been propelled by Soldado as the Spanish international had scored seven times in his previous five outings, but he missed a great opportunity to get his side off to a flying start when he headed over from Andres Guardado's pinpoint cross after just 10 minutes.
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The game then became a scrappy affair with the best chances coming via set-pieces for the majority of the first-half as Federico Fernandez headed over for Getafe and Pedro Leon also fired over with a decent opening inside the area for the hosts.
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However, Valencia did manage to take the lead a minute before halftime as a cleverly worked free kick saw Ever Banega feed Mathieu on the edge of the area and he curled home his first goal of the season.
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Soldado then spurned another great opportunity three minutes into the second period as Miguel Angel Moya stood up well to block the striker's effort.
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It mattered little, though, as Getafe posed barely any real threat in front of goal in the second period as Valencia held out to register a third consecutive clean sheet.