Valencia kept their UEFA Champions League dream alive with a 3-1 victory over Bayer Leverkusen at the Mestalla.
Valencia keep themselves in contention for a place in the last 16
Valencia kept their UEFA Champions League dream alive with a 3-1 victory over Bayer Leverkusen at the Mestalla.
With Genk having held Chelsea in Belgium, Los Che are now right back in the hunt for a top-two finish in Group E.
Oliveira Jonas, Roberto Soldado and Adil Rami got their goals in midweek, ensuring that a solitary reply from Stefan Kiessling counted for little.
Valencia took the lead after just 12 seconds, with a terrible clearance from Bernd Leno allowing Jonas to return the ball with interest.
Leverkusen levelled shortly after the half-hour mark when Michael Ballack, sporting a face mask to protest his broken nose, crossed for Kiessling to power home a towering header.
The hosts were not to be denied, though, and restored their lead on 65 minutes when Soldado expertly flicked the ball past Leno.
They wrapped up the points 15 minutes from time when Adil Rami met an inswinging corner to glance into the back of the net.
Error
Valencia made an ideal start as Jonas took full advantage of an error by Bernd Leno.
The Leverkusen goalkeeper kicked the ball straight at the Brazilian who slotted home his second Champions League goal with just 12 seconds on the clock.
It was a stunning start and Valencia came forward relentlessly.
It took the Bundesliga side a quarter of an hour to launch a meaningful attack, forcing a corner from which Diego Alves beat out Omer Toprak's header from the six-yard box.
Leverkusen started to come more into the game and their hosts were forced into a change midway through the half when Ever Banega was carried off on a stretcher to be replaced by Tino Costa after a challenge by Ballack.
Sidney Sam's shot was parried by Alves before Leverkusen's pressure paid off when they drew level after 31 minutes through Kiessling.
Ballack, who had shortly before been booked as he tried to win a penalty, sent in a left-wing cross which Kiessling guided past Alves.
Ascendancy
Andre Schurrle then unleashed a shot from 25 yards which Alves tipped over as the German side ended the first half in the ascendancy with Ballack influential.
The game restarted with the same attacking intent from both sides, Soldado shooting over before Schurrle went past his marker in the area but shot wide.
And it was Soldado who scored as Los Che regained the lead midway through the second half.
Jeremy Mathieu provided the assist for the striker, who flicked the ball past Leno from close range.
Soon after Schurrle thought he had equalised after he slotted home but he was ruled offside and minutes later Valencia took a 3-1 lead.
Costa sent in a corner which Rami headed home for his first goal in Europe's premier club competition.
Valencia remain third in the group but are now just a point behind Leverkusen in second and three adrift of table-topping Chelsea.
| Valencia |
Team Statistics |
Bayer 04 Leverkusen |
| 3 |
Goals |
1 |
| 1 |
1st Half Goals |
1 |
| 5 |
Shots on Target |
4 |
| 4 |
Shots off Target |
1 |
| 1 |
Blocked Shots |
1 |
| 2 |
Corners |
7 |
| 16 |
Fouls |
17 |
| 1 |
Offsides |
4 |
| 2 |
Yellow Cards |
3 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 79 |
Passing Success |
70.7 |
| 28 |
Tackles |
23 |
| 75 |
Tackles Success |
87 |
| 54.2 |
Possession |
45.8 |
| 47.4 |
Territorial Advantage |
52.6 |
| 448 |
Total Passes |
375 |
| 15 |
Total Crosses |
14 |
| 162 |
Lost Balls |
178 |
| 61 |
Recoveries |
66 |
|
