UEFA Champions League: Valencia hammer BATE 4-2 to stay top

Monitoring Desk

LONDON, England (TheSportsNEXT) November 8, 2012: Valencia completed the double in UEFA Champions League Group F with a 4-2 win over Belarus outfit BATE Borisov to stay level on points with pacesetters Bayern Munich, who crushed Lille 6-1, the official FIFA website reported.

BATE had made a bright start to the campaign, stunning group favourites Bayern on their way to winning their opening two fixtures. But they then came unstuck at home to Valencia and the Spaniards once again outfoxed them, taking the lead in the 26th minute at the Mestalla Stadium.

Brazilian striker Jonas Goncalves broke the deadlock, firing home on a turn high into the net after controlling a cross from a Tino Costa. Almost straight from the restart, it was 2-0, Roberto Soldado - who scored a hat-trick in the away match - converting from the spot after Denis Polyakov fouled Andres Guardado as the latter burst into the box.

Coach Mauricio Pellegrino has been struggling to conjure coherent league form from his Valencia side this season - they sit mid-table with only four wins from ten games - but this success, following their win in Belarus, should propel them towards the last 16 in Europe.

Former Barcelona midfielder Aleksandr Hleb tried gamely to spark a riposte, but was unable to call on support from the suspended Alexander Pavlov as Valencia tightened their grip on proceedings.

Vitali Rodionov had an early effort wide for Viktor Goncharenko's BATE, but the two goals took the wind out of the visitors' sails as Valencia, finalists in 2000 and 2001, made it 3-0 six minutes after the restart.

Algerian Sofiane Feghouli slammed home after Fernando Gago cut through a tiring defence to find his teammate unmarked. BATE did knuckle down to make a game of it as Renan Bressan converted for 3-1 just two minutes after Feghouli's effort.

And suddenly the Spaniards were sweating when Dmitri Mozolevski, on for Hleb, made it 3-2 in the 83rd minute with a tap-in from Rodianov's pass as Valencia looked to be counting down the clock and cruising.

However, the hosts quickly snapped out of their complacency as Feghouli bagged his second goal of the night with four minutes remaining, cracking home a fierce drive after substitute Ever Banega had found him.

Read More

Valencia hand Atletico Madrid first defeat this season

Roberto Soldado gave Valencia the early lift they required

Monitoring Desk

MADRID, Spain (TheSportsNEXT) November 4, 2012: Valencia survived the dismissals of Ricardo Costa and two of their coaching staff to inflict a first defeat of the season on Atletico Madrid, 2-0 at the Mestalla.

Roberto Soldado's stunning opener gave the hosts an interval lead and Nelson Valdez rounded off the victory in added time. Costa was dismissed in the 90th minute for a second booking and coach Mauricio Pellegrino and his assistant Carlos Compagnucci were sent from the dugout in separate incidents, but it was Valencia's day nonetheless.

Atletico started the brighter and Gabi Fernandez was first to threaten, shooting over from 12 yards, and Radamel Falcao curled a 14th-minute free-kick high over the bar. They went closer when Arda Turan's header was well saved low down by Diego Alves and Falcao was clearly held by Joao Pereira, preventing him latching onto the rebound.

To add injury to insult, he was caught by Soldado's trailing foot after the striker cleared the loose ball behind and had to go off to have his head bandaged. The breakthrough came at the other end in the 20th minute as Soldado met Adil Rami's long pass, dropping over his shoulder, with a superb volley into the far top corner.

Rami blocked Adrian Lopez's shot and was off target with a hopelessly ambitious effort of his own, while Falcao could not direct the ball goalwards when surrounded by defenders. Valencia coach Mauricio Pellegrino was sent to the stands before half-time for protesting as one of his players lay injured.

Arda flashed an effort just over in an otherwise low-key start to the second period. Atleti introduced Cristian Rodriguez in place of Emre Belozoglu and the newcomer was involved in the build-up as Falcao headed Filipe Luis' cross over.

Tiago Cardoso was booked for jabbing an arm at Adrian and Costa followed after going through the back of Jonas Oliveira. Alves parried away Rodriguez's long-range free-kick but Valencia had the opportunity to finish the game off when Andres Guardado raced into the penalty area and fired over.

Costa collected a harsh second booking, moments after taking over the captaincy from the substituted Soldado, when his arm caught Raul Garcia. The protests from the bench saw assistant coach Compagnucci sent to the stand.

Despite the upheaval, though, Valencia grabbed a second goal deep into added time when Sofiane Feghouli played in Soldado's replacement, Valdez, to round goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and finish left-footed.

Read More