Super Eagles striker Umar Sadiq came off the bench to fire Valencia to a 1-0 victory over Elche in the Spanish La Liga on Sunday.

The Nigerian international came off the bench to make a decisive impact, scoring in the 69th minute to secure Valencia's first away victory of the 2026/27 league campaign at the Estadio Martínez Valero.

Sadiq, who replaced Pablo Maffeo in the 61st minute, produced an excellent individual finish after combining with Dutch winger Arnaut Danjuma.

The 29-year-old received Danjuma's pass inside the penalty area, skilfully evaded Elche midfielder Gonzalo Villar before firing a low shot into the bottom corner to give the visitors the lead.

His decisive contribution proved enough to hand Valencia their first victory under newly appointed head coach Javier Aguirre, who had taken charge of the struggling Spanish side.

The goal was particularly significant for Sadiq, who was making his return to action after missing seven consecutive league matches through injury.

His appearance against Elche was his first since the end of August.

The strike also represented his second goal of the 2026/27 season and provided a timely boost after a difficult spell on the sidelines.

His return could prove important as Valencia look to improve their position in the La Liga standings.

Despite securing the victory, Valencia had to withstand considerable pressure from the hosts.

Elche enjoyed 69.1 percent possession and registered 13 shots compared to Valencia's five, but struggled to turn their dominance into goals.

Elche came particularly close to scoring in the first half when Lucas Cepeda struck the crossbar.

Valencia goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski also played a crucial role by producing an important save deep into stoppage time to deny Federico Redondo and preserve his team's advantage.

Sadiq nearly doubled his tally late in the encounter after combining with Dani Raba and Danjuma in the 87th minute, but Valencia failed to convert the opportunity.

The victory lifted Valencia's hopes of climbing away from the relegation zone, while giving Aguirre his first win as the club's head coach.

Valencia will now turn their attention to their next league assignment against Spanish giants Real Madrid at the Mestalla Stadium on Saturday, November 7, with Sadiq hoping to build on his impressive return to action.