Valencia 1 - Glasgow Celtic 0

Valencia: Cañizares; Curro Torres, Ayala (Djukic 41'), Pellegrino, Carboni; Angulo, Albelda, Vicente; Aimar (Salva 85'); Juan Sánchez (Mista 70'), Carew. 4-3-1-2.
Celtic: Douglas; Mjallby, Balde, McNamara, Crainey; Lambert, Lennon, Moravcik (Petta 60'), Petrov; Larsson, Hartson (Sylla 82'). 4-4-2.

Goals:
1-0. 75. Vicente. Drove ball past keeper after short Carboni free kick.

A goal fifteen minutes from the end by Vicente was enough to give Valencia a narrow advantage for the second leg of this UEFA cup tie against Celtic. Manager Rafa Benítez left Kily González out of the squad after the Argentine winger criticised him in the press, but his young replacement beat Douglas from a short Carboni free kick for the winner. Valencia spent most of the match in their opponents half but kept coming up against a brick wall in the guise of the Scottish international keeper, who probably had one of his best games ever in a Celtic shirt. Martin O'Niell's side only had one brief spell halfway through the first half when they created any danger, with Cañizares, back in goal for the first time in two months after breaking a rib, making a vital save from Hartson as they came looking for the away goal.

Otherwise it was a white wave, with John 'Alieu' Carew and Curro Torres both hitting the woodwork in the second half as their side registered a shot on goal every three minutes. Carew himself was frustrated by Douglas three times in the last ten minutes of the game, and Valencia now have to visit Scotland in two weeks time with a more difficult task than they expected. Having finished runners up in the Champions League for the last two seasons, they owe it to their fans to put in a good run in this competition this year. Several thousand Scottish fans will do their best to stop them.