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SportsDanjuma scores twice as Valencia beat Derby County 2-1 in preseason friendly
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Valencia defeated Derby County 2-1 in a behind-closed-doors preseason friendly at St. George's Park, England. The match was played in a special format of two 60-minute halves. Dutch attacker Danjuma made his preseason debut after missing earlier friendlies due to back discomfort, scoring both of Valencia's goals. The fixture allowed the team to accumulate minutes and competitive rhythm. Notable absences included striker Sadiq, who stayed in Valencia with a muscle injury. Valencia's preseason continues with a match against Stoke City on Saturday, followed by the Trofeo Naranja against Newcastle on August 8. The team is also seeking another friendly for mid-August due to a postponed first league matchday.
Source report
Updated: 28/07/2026 - 19:23 CEST By: Fernando Álvarez
Valencia defeated Derby County 2-1 on Tuesday in a training session held behind closed doors at St. George's Park, the headquarters of the English national team. The squad has been based there since Monday and will continue working until next Saturday.
The preseason trial was played in a special format of two 60-minute halves, and the standout performer was Danjuma. The attacker scored both of Valencia's goals to decide the match against the Championship (English second division) side, regaining the good form that had disappeared on Saturday against Castellón.
It was the first time the Dutch attacker was seen training with the rest of the group — he had not participated in previous friendlies due to back discomfort. He made an immediate impact, scoring both goals in a match where striker Sadiq did not play, having remained in Valencia with a muscle injury.
Squad Participation
Beyond the result, the fixture allowed the team to accumulate minutes and competitive load for a large group of players. According to Valencia, the following players took part:
- Goalkeepers: Vicent Abril, Cristian Rivero
- Defenders: Gamón, Tárrega, De Haas, Gayà, Monferrer, Wanjala, Diakhaby, Jesús Vázquez
- Midfielders: Guido, Dieng, Javi Guerra, Ugrinic, Almeida, Mayol
- Forwards: Rioja, Sato, Danjuma, Otorbi, Raba, Hugo Duro
Preseason Context
The work at St. George's Park is part of Valencia's preseason campaign to build competitive rhythm and automatisms ahead of the official season start. So far, Valencia has:
- Faced Angola's Petro Luanda (1-3) in a similar behind-closed-doors format
- Played two friendlies at the Paterna sports city: a 3-0 victory over Eldense and a 1-2 defeat against Castellón
Upcoming Fixtures
After the match against Derby County, the Valencia squad will continue training in England. The next test is scheduled for Saturday, when they face Stoke City at the Bet365 Stadium, with kick-off at 19:30 hours (Spanish mainland time).
Once the England stay concludes, Valencia will return to the Paterna sports city for the final stretch of preseason. The last major trial before the campaign was initially set to be the Trofeo Naranja on August 8 at 21:00 hours at Mestalla, against Newcastle. However, Valencia is also seeking another friendly for the weekend of August 15, as they will not play the first matchday due to a postponement requested by Betis.
Related Links:
- Corberán has not told Danjuma to leave
- World Cup
- World Cup Results
- World Cup Schedule
- La Liga
- Segunda División
- National Team
- World Cup Top Scorers
Source
LALIGA EA Sports // marcaWestern
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Danjuma scores twice in Valencia's preseason win over Derby County