Valencia recorded their second win in the Champions League group stage with a narrow 2-1 victory over Gent at the Mestella Stadium this evening.
© Getty Images
The hosts started brightly and Santi Mina had two early chances. First he fired an 18-yard shot narrowly over the bar, before Matz Sels dashed from his line to deny the forward.
Paco Alcacer then saw his effort deflected narrowly wide, but Gent could only hold out until the 15th minute.
Joao Cancelo was allowed space to whip in a cross from the right wing which Sofiane Feghouli met inside the six-yard box to flick home.
Sels then produced two reaction saves to deny Mina and Alcacer from close range as Valencia continued to pepper the Gent goal.
© Getty Images
However, five minutes before the break the Belgian side equalised through Thomas Foket, who cut inside onto his left foot and rifled a shot into the roof of the net.
Valencia's Alcacer lifted another chance over the bar just two minutes after the break before Laurent Depoitre was denied by Jaume Domenech at the other end.
However, substitute Pablo Piatti slammed a shot into the body of Stefan Mitrovic in the 72nd minute which ricocheted into the net to hand the lead back to the hosts.
A fresh-air kick from Aderlan Santos presented Danijel Milicevic with a chance to level 10 minutes from time, but Domenech parried the shot to safety and Valencia held on to secure all three points.
The win leaves Valencia in second place in Group H at the halfway stage.
Kristian Johnson
