Valencia Ride Luck Against Monaco to Edge Closer to Champions League Place
MESTALLA, VALENCIA—This was a night for celebration, for Los Che players and supporters alike. But when the dust settles and they analyse how this Champions League first-leg qualifier went, they will understand that it could have been very different. Valencia will understand that they need to improve if they are to see off Monaco in the second leg and reach the competition proper.
That will be easier thanks to two major factors. One, the terrible decision not to award Monaco a penalty when the score was 2-1 to Valencia. Two, the late, brilliant half-volley from Sofiane Feghouli that stretched the lead to 3-1 and gives them a degree more comfort when they head to Stade Louis II on Tuesday for the second leg.
It could have been so different. Valencia came flying out of the traps and scored in the fourth minute. Rodrigo de Paul whipped the ball in to Feghouli at the back post, slicing Monaco's defence in half.
Feghouli cut the ball back across goal, and Rodrigo and Paco Alcacer were falling over themselves to bundle the ball home. The former met it first and scored Valencia's first Champions League goal for two-and-a-half-years.
AS Monaco were missing some hugely important players, including Portuguese central midfielder Joao Moutinho, full-back Layvin Kurzawa and central defender Aymen Abdennour.
That would be enough to hurt any team, but the Ligue 1 side did well, and began to get on top of the game after around 15 minutes.
Enzo Perez was crashing into challenges in midfield but was fighting a losing battle, with Dani Parejo not offering him enough support.
Things weren't happening up front for Valencia, with Alcacer looking a little off the pace, as is understandable this early in the season. After all, this was the Spanish side's first official match of the season, while Monaco have also played two league games.
One player who was certainly on form was Mat Ryan, the Australian goalkeeper, who made several impressive saves to keep his side ahead. He will be needed in the weeks ahead, too, as regular goalkeeper Diego Alves is out injured for several months.
The stopper was watching at the Mestalla as his team-mates beat Monaco, and he will be praying that by the time he returns to fitness his team are competing in Europe's top competition.
He saw his replacement impress in his stead, with an excellent save to tip Bernardo Silva's shot onto the post after great work by Anthony Martial.
The French forward was a danger himself, with several threatening runs through Valencia's defence. Shkodran Mustafi was stepped up well in the absence of Nicolas Otamendi, who was dropped from the squad because of transfer turmoil.
Ruben Vezo, meanwhile, was struggling with Martial's pace. The forward was unlucky to see an effort ruled out in the first half for offside. His backheel flick was saved by Ryan, and he reacted with lightning speed to rifle the rebound into the roof of the net.
Martial had a big hand in what could be a crucial away goal, too, with his cross half-cleared to Mario Pasalic, on loan from Chelsea, who fired home from close range.
Almost immediately, Valencia were ahead again. Parejo, who actually had a poor game, found the net, after Pablo Piatti cut back Antonio Barragan's cross into his path.
Parejo, for one, is a player who knows he must improve drastically ahead of the second leg of this game and the season ahead. When Javi Fuego came on, the team looked a lot more sturdy.
Perhaps in Monaco it might be wise to start the combative midfielder, in a different formation. The 4-3-3 Nuno Espirito Santo deployed here was far too open, and on a different day Valencia could have conceded more dangerous away goals.
Then came a clear penalty shout for Monaco when Jose Luis Gaya hacked down Martial in the area, and despite one of the extra assistant referees being less than two yards away, no penalty was awarded.
Feghouli's goal followed that and put a gloss on the scoreline. Fans and players could leave feeling happy, but the truth is Los Che will have to raise their game for the second leg and beyond.
If Valencia are to make a dent in this season's Champions League, they will have to use this as a base to improve upon.
