Gudelj earns Getafe a point in Conference League opener

Nemanja Gudelj scored in the 81st minute to earn Getafe a 1-1 draw in their UEFA Europa Conference League group stage opener. The La Liga side, sitting 14th in the domestic table with 8 points from a record of two wins, two draws and four losses, secured a valuable away point at the Complex Sportiv Craiova after trailing for much of the second half. In the domestic title race, the team trails leaders Barcelona by 16 points.

The match was a tactical affair where Getafe, with 56% possession, controlled the ball but struggled to create clear chances. The first half ended goalless, with José Bordalás's team making several changes at the break, including bringing on Kiko Femenía for Andrés García. The surprise came in the 59th minute when Alexandru Cicâldău set up Assad Al-Hamlawi to put Universitatea Craiova ahead.

Getafe's fightback

Getafe reacted with urgency, introducing Johan Mojica and later Adrián R. Alcantara in search of an equaliser. The pressure finally paid off when Nemanja Gudelj, from midfield, found the net to level the score with eleven minutes remaining. Goalkeeper David Soria, key with a couple of saves, helped preserve the point in the closing minutes. The stats reflected visiting dominance in chance creation, with an xG of 1.45 compared to the hosts' 0.55, though only three of their thirteen shots were on target.

The team returns to Spain with focus now on Monday's Madrid derby. Getafe host Rayo Vallecano, who are 13th in the standings, at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez. The last meeting between the two, in January, ended in a 1-1 draw. With this European point in the bag, the aim is now to secure a full three points at home to improve their situation in La Liga, where they have a recent form of one win, two draws and two losses from their last five matches. In the league, they have scored only four goals and conceded ten. The match against Rayo Vallecano kicks off on Monday, 19 October at 21:00 local time. This fixture follows a recent run of results including the draw with Universitatea Craiova, a 3-0 loss to Barcelona, a 1-0 win over Malaga, a 1-0 defeat to Real Betis, and draws with Deportivo La Coruna and Celta Vigo.