A late header from Juan Iglesias handed Sevilla a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Valencia at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán on Friday night, lifting the Andalusian side to third place in La Liga.

Nigeria international Chidera Ejuke was part of the action, entering the fray in the 63rd minute for his fifth league outing of the season.

The decisive moment

The contest was tight and feisty throughout, with the game's only goal arriving in the 81st minute. Giorgi Kochorashvili whipped in a free-kick from a wide position, and Iglesias timed his run perfectly — getting across his marker to power a firm header beyond goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski.

Valencia, who came into the fixture without the injured Umar Sadiq, were unable to find a response and remain deep in early-season trouble.

Sevilla's momentum building

The result ends a difficult run for Sevilla, who had won just once in their two previous matches — drawing one and losing one. The win takes them to 10 points from five games, a record of three wins, one draw, and one defeat, placing them third in the La Liga standings.

Ejuke, who has been attracting interest from Premier League clubs, continued to build his case for regular minutes under his manager, contributing from the bench as Sevilla found a way to grind out a crucial three points.

For Valencia, the search for consistency goes on as they look to arrest a stumbling start to the campaign.