Valencia vs Lyon. UEFA Champions League Group H.
MestallaAttendance32,494.
Thursday 10 December 2015 07:46, UK
Life as head coach at Valencia began in disappointing fashion for Gary Neville as the Spanish side were defeated 2-0 by Lyon at the Mestalla and exited the Champions League.
Gent's 2-1 win over Zenit in Belgium on Wednesday night meant even victory would not have put Valencia through, but Neville will still be disappointed by the way his side were comfortably beaten by the bottom team in the group.
The home team had their moments in front of a raucous crowd but there is plenty for Neville and his coaching staff to work on ahead of his first La Liga game at Eibar on Sunday.
Lyon had nothing much to play for, having taken only a point from their first five Group H matches, but they produced a classy away display and goals in each half from impressive forwards Maxwell Cornet and Alexandre Lacazette secured a welcome win.
Valencia began the match in promising fashion and were unfortunate not to get Neville off to a dream start.
Defender Shkodran Mustafi met a corner with a header which came back off the post, and then powered a diving header into the net from another right-wing corner moments later, only for the referee to contentiously disallow the goal, apparently due to a block by Aymen Abdennour.
But it was Lyon who then began to create the better opportunities and Cornet eluded Jose Gaya, only to be denied by the outstretched boot of Jaume Domenech.
The Valencia goalkeeper was soon required again and he did superbly to fling out a hand and keep out a fine header from former Manchester United man Rafael.
And Sergi Darder also drew a decent stop from Domenech before Valencia put together their best move of the half and Anthony Lopes did well to parry a Paco Alcacer header.
But Lyon then scored a 37th-minute opener and, while Neville will have been wincing at the way Cornet was allowed to advance into the box, he would have grudgingly admired the finish, as the youngster conjured up a brilliant left-footed curler which arced into the top corner of the net.
Valencia were more purposeful at the start of the second half and Neville's decision to bring former Manchester City forward Alvaro Negredo off the bench delighted the home support.
Joao Cancelo went close for the hosts but Lopes saved well and, as Valencia pressed forward, it became clear that Lyon were a huge threat on the counter-attack.
The visitors almost wrapped things up when Lacazette set up Darder, but Domenech pulled off a decent save.
And Valencia's reprieve proved only short-lived as they gave the ball away on the edge of the Lyon box and were picked apart by a superb breakaway goal, scored by Lacazette (76), who drove a low shot into the corner after latching onto a fine pass from Corentin Tolisso.
Valencia did not give up at all and captain Daniel Parejo drilled a shot just wide from distance but it was not to be for them, although they showed enough to suggest there is talent around for Neville to work with
And the former Manchester United man's side will now try their luck in the Europa League, meaning a dramatic return to Old Trafford as an opposing manager could yet be on the cards for him this season.
