Levante vs Al-Qadisiyah FC

Levante dominated the first half without finding the breakthrough. Bardeli and Paco Cortés combined inside six minutes for a shot that drifted wide. Iván Romero and Víctor García found space in the area but could not connect cleanly, while García later drove forward and saw another effort miss by inches.

Al-Qadisiyah offered little in attack during the opening period, but provided a talking point when Portugal international Otávio was substituted early — in the 39th minute — after referee Juan Manuel Gordillo suggested his removal to prevent a red card following persistent dissent, per AS.com's match report.

Levante increased the intensity after the restart. Dela tested the goalkeeper with a powerful strike from distance, and Al-Qadisiyah responded with their best chance of the match — Pablo Campos saved the initial effort and Alqahtani fired the rebound over the bar.

The breakthrough arrived in the 56th minute. Olasagasti smashed a ferocious shot from the edge of the box that Al Kassar could only parry, and Paco Cortés reacted quickest to bundle the loose ball into the net.

Levante pushed for a second. Carlos Álvarez found Kareem Tunde, whose cross led to a corner. Hugo Sotelo's delivery was met by Huseini, whose header crashed against the crossbar. In the 87th minute, Dani Requena — making his debut — was fouled in the box, earning a penalty. Roger Brugué stepped up, but Al Kassar guessed correctly and saved to keep the margin at one.

Al-Qadisiyah pressed late for an equaliser. Pablo Campos made a sharp save with his foot, and Huseini cleared a goal-bound effort off the line in the closing stages, preserving Levante's first clean sheet of pre-season.

Carlos Espí, the 22-year-old forward named LaLiga's best Under-23 player last season, was left out of the squad entirely. AS.com's Luis Sancho de Rosa reported that an imminent sale to a Premier League club is behind the decision, with the transfer expected to be completed in the coming days.

• Paco Cortés (Player of the Match) — scored the only goal with a poacher's finish, created chances in the first half, and worked tirelessly across the front line before being substituted on 65 minutes.
• Pablo Campos — made two crucial saves in the second half, including a strong stop with his foot in the closing stages to preserve the clean sheet.
• Hugo Sotelo — the Celta loanee made his Levante debut at half-time and immediately took control of midfield, dictating tempo and delivering dangerous set pieces including the corner that led to Huseini's header against the bar.
• Huseini — the youth-team centre-back cleared a shot off the line in the final minutes and headed against the crossbar from a corner, moments after coming on.

Levante's 1-0 scoreline flattered Al-Qadisiyah more than the run of play suggested. The Granota controlled possession throughout and created the clearer chances — Cortés' goal, Huseini's header against the woodwork, and the missed penalty all came from sustained pressure. The statistical gap in shots on target would have been wider had Brugué converted from the spot. Al-Qadisiyah's only real opening came through Alqahtani's rebound in the second half, and Pablo Campos was otherwise untroubled.

Levante have now won all three pre-season friendlies — against CD Leganés (2-1), Sheffield United (1-0) and Al-Qadisiyah (1-0) — with their first clean sheet of the summer. Luís Castro's side continue their preparation for the 2026-27 LaLiga season, which kicks off in three weeks. The Espí transfer situation will be one to monitor closely, with the potential sale freeing up significant funds and a starting spot in attack.

Al-Qadisiyah, coached by former Real Madrid midfielder Nacho Fernández, are in the final phase of their pre-season ahead of the Saudi Pro League campaign.

A professional if unspectacular pre-season outing for Levante. The clean sheet will please Castro more than the narrow margin, with the final-third finishing still a work in progress. The Espí transfer narrative will dominate the coming days, but performances from debutants Sotelo and Requena offered encouraging signs of depth.