Valencia 1 - Olympique Lyon 0

Valencia: Cañizares; Anglomá, Djukic, Pellegrino, Carboni; Mendieta, Milla (Zahovic 68'), Baraja, Kily González (Vicente 80');Juan Sánchez, Diego Alonso (Carew 73'). 4-4-2.

Goals:
1-0. 78. Zahovic. From middle of area after Sánchez flicked on Kily's pass.

Valencia recorded their third victory in a row in the Champions League to head up their group and virtually assure themselves a place in the next stage of the competition. Lyon put up a good fight however, and Valencia only scored the winning goal twelve minutes from time when Zahovic finally beat Lyon's keeper Coupet. Earlier the French keeper had saved a penalty from Valencia captain Gaizka Mendieta, the first one he has failed score from in the last 13 spot kicks.

Cúper had relied on the same line up he has been using recently, with Milla coming in for the injured Didier Deschamps and Juan Sánchez keeping his place alongside Diego Alonso in attack. Lyon had come to defend for a point, and put a man each on Mendieta and Kily to stop the Valencia attacks down the wings. Even so Sonny Anderson and Marlet created chances in attack, and honours were more or less even at half time. In the second half Cúper made changes, bringing on Carew and Zahovic for Alonso and Milla, and the two fresh players started to find gaps. Kily was on his last legs, but he managed to find Sánchez on the edge of the area, who touched it on for Zahovic. The Slovenian held his cool to bring the ball under control and slide it past the keeper. It was just about over and Kilybowed off the stage, although Anderson came close to spoiling the fun in the last minute.

Valencia ended the day on the top of the table with 9 points, 3 ahead of Olympiakos and six above Lyon, and are one of only two teams (including Arsenal) to win all three matches. They can now relax and look forward to a couple of weeks off (except for the internationals), and could even allow themselves to rest key players in the next games. Barcelona must be wishing they could do the same.