VALENCIA, Spain (Interstat) — Substitute Óscar Mingueza broke a tense deadlock and midfielder Kervin Arriaga added a crucial second goal as Celta Vigo opened its La Liga season with a 2-1 comeback victory over Levante on Sunday at Estadio Ciudad de Valencia.

The match, which saw a player sent off before halftime, was ultimately decided by the impact of both teams’ benches, with all three goals and four assists coming from second-half substitutes.

The game’s complexion changed dramatically in the 29th minute when Levante midfielder Unai Vencedor was shown a straight red card, forcing the home side to play a man down for more than an hour. Despite the numerical disadvantage, Levante’s defense held firm initially, and the teams entered halftime locked in a scoreless battle.

Celta Vigo, heavily favored by statistical models before kickoff, finally broke through in the 40th minute. The breakthrough originated from a set piece, with defender Jeremy Toljan delivering the initial service. The ball found its way to fellow defender Carl Starfelt, who headed it across the goalmouth for Mingueza. The defender, who had just entered the match, made no mistake from close range, giving the visitors a deserved lead.

The visitors doubled their advantage in the 66th minute, with two more substitutes combining for the goal. Sergio Carreira, who had come on in the midfield, provided the assist for Arriaga, who slotted home to give Celta Vigo a commanding 2-0 lead.

Levante, showing resilience despite being a man down, managed to conjure a dramatic moment in the first minute of second-half stoppage time. Defender Unai Elgezabal launched a long ball forward that was expertly brought down by substitute Marcos Alonso. Alonso then laid it off for fellow substitute Miguel Román, who fired past the goalkeeper to pull one back for the hosts.

The goal set up a frantic final few moments, but Celta Vigo managed the remaining time to secure the three points.

The match was a physical affair, reflected in the five yellow cards issued by the officiating crew. Celta Vigo’s Alonso was booked in the 31st minute, followed by teammate Toljan in the 59th. Levante’s Elgezabal saw yellow in the 69th minute, with Celta’s Starfelt and Carreira also being cautioned in the 73rd and 88th minutes, respectively.

The result defied the pregame projection from Interstat’s game simulator, which had forecast a 1-1 draw. However, it aligned with the same service’s ELO system, which gave Celta Vigo an 88.40 percent probability of victory.

With the win, Celta Vigo begins its La Liga campaign with a perfect record of one win and zero losses. Levante starts the season with zero wins and one loss. The records for both clubs across all competitions mirror their league starts.