Friendlies Clubs· Season 2026
Sheffield United beat Levante 2-1 in a pre-season friendly in Valencia. Femi Seriki and Sam McCallum scored inside the first seven minutes before Roger Brugué's 80th-minute header set up a tense finish.
Match Analysis
AI SummaryHow it unfolded
Sheffield United started with ruthless efficiency. Femi Seriki opened the scoring in the 4th minute, finishing a cross from the left to give the Blades an early lead. Three minutes later, a free kick from Sydie Peck was parried by Levante goalkeeper Dani Martín, but Sam McCallum was first to the rebound, slotting home from inside the area to make it 2-0 after just seven minutes.
Levante responded positively to the early setback. The Granotes dominated possession for the remainder of the first half, creating chances through crosses, corners and long-range shots, but could not find a way past Sheffield United's defence before the break.
Chris Wilder changed his entire outfield XI at half-time, introducing a fresh XI that included Ben Hamer, Ollie Arblaster and Rhian Brewster among others. The change in personnel gave Sheffield United a different look, but Levante — now dominant — pushed for a goal.
Carlos Álvarez, returning from an ankle injury that had kept him out since May, produced Levante's first clear chance of the second half with a shot deflected for a corner (per RotoWire). He then combined with Paco Cortés in another dangerous sequence that forced the Sheffield United goalkeeper to intervene.
Levante's pressure finally told in the 80th minute. Roger Brugué rose to meet a cross and headed home to make it 2-1, rewarding Levante's persistence. The hosts pushed for an equaliser but could not find a second, with Carlos Espí seeing several headers saved and Calatrava drawing a sharp stop from a powerful edge-of-the-box effort.
The turning point
Sheffield United's first-half efficiency — converting two of their first two chances into goals inside seven minutes — effectively decided the contest. Levante dominated possession and created the better chances after the opening salvo, but the two-goal deficit proved too steep a mountain to climb even after Brugué's 80th-minute header. The Blades could afford to sit deep and absorb pressure in the second half, relying on a much-changed XI to see out the result.
Key performers
Femi Seriki (Sheffield United) — The right-back produced a composed finish in the 4th minute to set the tone, playing the first half before being replaced at the break.
Sam McCallum (Sheffield United) — Alert to the rebound from Peck's free kick, McCallum's 7th-minute goal doubled the lead and proved to be the winner.
Roger Brugué (Levante) — The substitute's 80th-minute header gave Levante a lifeline and was the reward for their second-half dominance.
Carlos Álvarez (Levante) — In his first action since a grade two ankle sprain (May 2 vs Villarreal), the winger played 45 minutes and generated Levante's first clear chance of the second half with no reported discomfort (per RotoWire).
Player of the match: Sam McCallum (Sheffield United) — his goal proved decisive.
By the numbers — interpreted
Levante dominated possession and territory after the opening 10 minutes, but Sheffield United's two-goal burst in the first seven minutes shaped the entire match. The Blades' clinical edge — two goals from their first two chances — contrasted with Levante's inability to convert sustained pressure into more than one goal. The 2-1 scoreline flatters Levante in terms of the contest's balance, but the real story is Sheffield United's ruthless start and Levante's failure to convert dominance into goals before the interval.
What it means
Sheffield United made it two wins from three pre-season matches (after beating Chesterfield 0-0 on 11 July and Halifax Town 3-1 on 5 July) in a productive training camp in Spain. The Blades will return to England to continue preparations for the 2026/27 Championship season.
Levante — preparing for their second consecutive La Liga campaign after winning promotion in 2024/25 — showed positive signs in possession and created chances, particularly in the second half. Carlos Álvarez's return from injury is a significant boost for new manager Julián Calero. Levante's next pre-season fixture is against Al Qadsiah (date TBC).
Verdict
A game of two distinct phases: Sheffield United's explosive first seven minutes and Levante's controlled response over the remaining 83. The Blades' pre-season efficiency is building, while Levante — despite the defeat — will take more encouragement from their second-half performance than the scoreline suggests.
Match Events
Key match events between Levante and Sheffield Utd — 3 goals and 0 cards recorded during the match.
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 17 Jul 2026