Granada stuns Valencia to reach Copa del Rey semifinals

MADRID (AP) - Granada reached the semifinals of the Copa del Rey for the first time in five decades by eliminating defending champion Valencia 2-1 on Tuesday thanks to a stoppage-time penalty awarded by video review.

Former Valencia forward Roberto Soldado converted the penalty four minutes into added time after VAR awarded the spot kick for a handball by a Valencia player after a corner.

'œIt was an open match, with chances for both teams,'ť Valencia coach Albert Celades said. 'œIn the end the game was decided by a VAR decision.'ť

The 34-year-old Soldado had put the hosts ahead three minutes into the match, but Valencia equalized through Rodrigo near halftime.

Valencia, an eight-time Copa champion, was seeking its third straight semifinal appearance.

Granada will be playing in the last four for fourth time - and first since 1969. It hadn't made it to the last eight in 19 years, and its best Copa campaign was a runner-up finish in 1959.

Valencia had eliminated third-division teams in the previous rounds. It needed a penalty shootout to get past Cultural Leonesa in the last 16.

Granada is playing in the first division this season after a two-year absence.

On Wednesday, Villarreal visits Mirandés, the only second-division club still alive in the competition. On Thursday, Real Madrid hosts Real Sociedad and Barcelona visits Athletic Bilbao.

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