Valencia Secure Commanding Lead Over Monaco

They got off to the flawless start when Rodrigo tapped home the opener only four minutes into the game. 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.

Once a regular, Valencia hasn’t played in the Champions League for the past two seasons, and new owner Peter Lim charged his team with the goal of qualifying for the lucrative competition.

Jeremy Toulalan insists that Monaco still have a strong chance of reaching the Champions League group stage after losing 3-1 to Valencia.

Celtic ended with a 3-2 win over Swedish side Malmo after squandering a two-goal lead and letting Jo Inge Berget score twice, including a second goal late in injury time for the visitors. Rodrigo de Paul whipped the ball in to Feghouli at the back post, slicing Monaco’s defence in half.

The ball was played out to the right of the Valencia area where Bernard Silva was able to fire in a low shot and forced a fine save from Valencia keeper Matt Ryan.

Goals from Rodrigo, Dani Parejo and Sofiane Feghouli handed Valencia a 3-1 advantage going into the second leg of their Champions League playoff against Monaco at the Mestalla Wednesday.

Toulalan admitted afterwards that last season’s quarter-finalists now face an uphill task at the Stade Louis II next Tuesday – but the Monaco captain has not given up hope of turning the tie around. “It was a good game and fundamental for us to win today”, Valencia boss Nuno Espirito Santo said.

“In the hard minutes the fans gave us a boost”.

Leverkusen thought they had taken the lead on 69 minutes when Hakan Calhanoglu’s shot was flicked in by Stefan Kiessling, who was ruled offside.

Shakhtar Donetsk beat Rapid Vienna 1-0 away in Austria. In those 271 minutes, he’s scored 2 goals already.

Dinamo Zagreb had to come from behind to claim a 2-1 victory at the home of the Albanian club Skenderbeu Korce.

Jose Gaya was proving to be a menace for Monaco down the left wing as the full back came close to doubling Valencia’s lead in the 30th minute.

Partizan had earlier seen midfielder Marko Jevtovic sent off for a second caution in first-half stoppage time.