VPC Andorra Edges CAU Valencia 33-30 in Nail-Biting División de Honor B Playoff
Down to 14 players after a red card, the visitors rallied late with a 79th-minute try to secure a crucial win, climbing to sixth place and one point from playoffs with three rounds remaining.
Key Points
- VPC Andorra defeated CAU Valencia 33-30 in División de Honor B playoff despite Valencia red card at 28th minute.
- VPC rallied late with 79th-minute try by Hugo Llata, converted by Gastón González (18 points total).
- Andorra climbs to sixth place, one point from playoffs with three rounds left.
- Valencia led 30-26 late but VPC equalized via penalty try before winning.
**VPC Andorra Overcomes CAU Valencia 33-30 in Thrilling División de Honor B Playoff**
VPC Andorra secured a hard-fought 33-30 victory over league leaders CAU Valencia on Sunday at noon, climbing to sixth in the División de Honor B promotion standings, just one point from the fourth and final playoff spot with three rounds left.
The Andorran team, coached by Dani Raya, started slowly as hosts CAU Valencia opened the scoring with a fifth-minute try from Javi Chirivella, converted by fly-half Joan Terol for a 7-0 lead. VPC hit back through kicker Gastón González, who slotted penalties in the 10th and 25th minutes.
A key shift occurred at the 28th minute when Valencia received a red card, leaving them with 14 players. VPC capitalized immediately with a try from Leon Laguerre, converted by González, to take a 13-7 halftime advantage.
Valencia dominated stretches of the second half, with Terol directing attacks that included tries from Rodrigo and Cabedo, pushing the score to 24-19. They extended the lead to 30-26 eight minutes from time via two Terol penalties. VPC equalized with a penalty try at the 62nd minute.
In the dying moments, Thibaut Trape assisted Hugo Llata for a crucial 79th-minute try, with González adding the conversion for the final 33-30 margin. The fly-half contributed 18 points overall through five penalties and two conversions.
Raya praised his side's resilience: "It was a very tough match against a well-structured rival. There were moments when we weren't at our best, but the players' sacrifice was key. We're still in the fight, though we want more."
The win marks VPC's second straight success in the promotion phase, following their earlier defeat of CAR Sevilla. The teams had split regular-season meetings: a 21-16 Valencia home win on October 19 and a 14-11 VPC triumph at home. CAU Valencia played without coach Manolo Nadal, who was absent due to his father's death. VPC face Hermo Soto del Real next.
Original Sources
This article was aggregated from the following Catalan-language sources: