Copa Del Rey Review: Valencia, Villareal Secure Last 16 Berth As Betis Suffer Shock Exit

Valencia and rivals Villareal have both qualified for the Spanish Copa Del Rey Round of 16 after their respective aggregate wins over lower league oppositions.

La Liga high flyers Valencia thrashed visitors Real Zaragoza 4-1 to seal a 6-1 aggregate victory. Santi Mina netted two goals for the home side in addition to further goals from Vezo and Sergio Ibanez while Pombo got Zaragoza’s consolation strike.

On the other hand, Villareal made hard work of their last 32 clash with Ponferradina having lost the first leg by a lone goal away from home.

Their lowly opponents held on for the first half before the floodgate of goals rained on them. Congo DR striker Cedric Bakambu scored the opening goal just two minutes after the interval before two goals in two minutes from Bakambu and Carlos Bacca took the game away from the visitors for a 3-0 win and an aggregate 3-1 victory in favour of Villareal.

Real Betis were however not fortunate to secure a last 16 spot following their surprising 5-3 defeat to Segunda Division side Cadiz at the Estadio Benito Villamarin.

The home side had earlier won the first leg 2-1 away from home meaning Cadiz go through 6-5 on aggregate as a result of that shocking second leg result.

David Barral, Dani Romera (2), Aitor Garcia and Ivan Kecjevic scored the goals for Cadiz while Betis’ goals came through Ryad Boudebouz and a Cristian Tello brace.

in the other ties, Espanyol beat Tenerife 3-2 at home to secure a last 16 place via a 3-2 aggregate victory while last season’s finalists Alaves thrashed Getafe 3-0 at home to move into the next stage with a 4-0 win on aggregate.