MADRID - Alvaro Negredo netted a stoppage time winner for Valencia to ease their La Liga relegation fears by snapping a four-game losing streak with a 2-1 victory over Sevilla on Sunday.
Valencia's forward Alvaro Negredo, pictured on September 25, 2015, netted a stoppage time winner against Sevilla
Dani Parejo's free-kick had given Pako Ayestaran's men a deserved half-time lead on his first home game in charge since replacing the sacked Gary Neville.
The poor defending that underminded Neville's reign cost the hosts once more five minutes from time, though, when Sevilla substitute Kevin Gameiro swept home Michael Krohn-Dehli's pass to equalise.
However, Negredo pounced on a loose ball inside the area in stoppage time to the relief of 50,000 fans at the Mestalla to move Valencia up to 13th and nine points clear of the relegation zone with six games remaining.
A third consecutive defeat leaves Sevilla still in seventh, nine points adrift of Villarreal in the final Champions League place, and still in search of their first away win in La Liga this season.
Earlier, Celta Vigo moved to within five points of Villarreal as Nolito's second-half strike earned a hard-fought 1-0 win at Sporting Gijon.