Javi Guerra and Sato lift Valencia past Hercules 2-0 in final preseason test

Valencia concluded their preseason with a 2-0 victory over Hercules, thanks to second-half goals from Javi Guerra and Ryunosuke Sato. The win offered a measure of relief for a Valencia side that had generated doubts during its preparation phase.

After a balanced first half, Valencia capitalized on two defensive errors by Hercules in the second half. Javi Guerra opened the scoring with a well-taken goal and later assisted Sato for the second. The match was Valencia's final tune-up before their league campaign, which was delayed due to a postponement request from Betis.

Valencia dominated possession early on, but Hercules grew into the game, creating chances through Andy Escudero and Antoñín. Sato was an active presence for Valencia, testing the Hercules goalkeeper Blazic with an individual effort. Despite controlling possession, Valencia's play remained predictable for much of the first half.

The second half saw Valencia's breakthrough, with Guerra's goal stemming from a turnover. Hercules responded quickly, but Dimitrevski saved Antoñín's shot. Another Hercules error led to Guerra assisting Sato, sealing the victory for Valencia, who then conserved energy for their upcoming league opener.