Match Report: Mesmerising second half fightback earns VCF UCL opening home win (4-1)

Valencia CF were back in Champions League action against Lille Olympique Sporting Club at Mestalla at 9 pm kick-off time in a must-win game on Matchday 4 in order for Celades men to stay alive in the competition.                     

Valencia had a cagey start to the game playing their typical possession football trying to unpick LOSC’s lockings. However, Victor Osimhen made it 0-1 to Lille Olympique Sporting Club over the halfway mark of the first half.  

Valencia CF were forced into a change over the half-hour mark Denis Cheryshev was replaced by Ferran Torres. Minutes later Kang in headed one straight at the keeper’s hands in a disruptive and incidental passage of play.

Rodrigo Moreno came mighty close to levelling things up quick succession from point-blank range on the stroke of half time but he was twice denied by Mike Maignan. Albert Celades side trailed by 0-1 at the intermission.

Valencia CF came out in the second half looking to make it 1-1 and it was Dani Parejo who Mike Maignan from a free-kick but the effort was punched clear in the first-second half chance.

Albert Celades made a second substitution by brining on Manu Vallejo for Kang-In which saw Valencia CF grow into the game and the tempo increase and it paid dividends as Valencia CF were awarded a penalty for a Jose Fonte handball on the slide over the hour mark.

Dani Parejo stepped up,kept his composure and lifted it over Mike Maignan to bring Valencia CF  back on level terms from twelve yards out. Valencia CF kept on pushing for the winner and persistence paid dividends yet again after good work down the left. A great Manu Vallejo ball in behind defected into Gayà's path who delivered it into the box to be diverted into his own net by Adama Bakary Soumaoro.

Minutes later, Geoffrey Kondogbia put Valencia CF’s win beyond doubt in style with an absolute swerving screamer to lift the Mestalla crowd off their seats.

Ferran Torres capped it off in style getting on the end of a Rodrigo Moreno pin-point ball which Ferran powered home with his left foot to send the crowd into overdrive one last time.

Valencia CF will welcome newly-promoted side and LaLiga Santander's surprise package Granada CF on Saturday the 9th of November at 4 pm kick-off time (CET) at Mestalla on Matchday 13 of LaLiga Santander.   

Match Details:

4. Valencia CF: Cillessen, Wass, G. Paulista, Garay, Gayà, Parejo ©, Kondogbia, Kang In (Manu Vallejo, m. 54), Cheryshev (Ferran, m. 30), Rodrigo M. (Gameiro, m. 90) and Maxi Gómez.

1. LOSC Lille: Maignan, Soumaoro (Bamba, m. 86), Fonte, Gabriel, Zeki Celik, André (Luiz Araujo, m. 79), Soumaré, Bradaric, Rèmy, Osimhen and Yusuf Yazici (Renato Sanches, m. 74 ).

Goals: 0-1. M. 25: Osimhen. 1-1. M. 66: Parejo (p). 2-1. M. 82: Soumaoro (og). 3-1. M. 83: Kondogbia. 4-1. M. 90: Ferran.

Referee: Sergei Karasev (Russia). He showed yellow cards to Garay and Wass for Valencia CF, and Gabriel, André, Fonte, as well as to the head coach Christophe Galtier, Bradaric for LOSC Lille.

Observations: Matchday 4 in Group H of the Champions League group stage played on Tuesday, at 9 pm, at Mestalla before 38,252 spectators.