UEFA Europa League

Werder Bremen 4 - Valencia 4

Werder: Wiese; Fritz (Rosenberg 78'), Mertesacker, Naldo, Pasanen; Borowski (Almeida 21'), Frings; Hunt, Özil, Marin; Pizarro. 4-2-3-1.
Valencia: César; Miguel, Maduro, Dealbert, Bruno (Jordi Alba 46'); Marchena (Michel 64'), Baraja; Joaquín (Manuel Fernandes 54'), Silva, Mata; David Villa. 4-2-3-1.

Goals:
0-1. 02. David Villa. Fired angled shot across Wiese after Silva passed wide.
0-2. 15. Mata. Ran on to Silva's lofted pass and steered shot wide of keeper.
1-2. 26. Almeida. Got on the end of Pizarro cross to turn shot in from close up.
1-3. 44. David Villa. Controlled Silva cross and poked shot wide of Wiese.
2-3. 56. Frings (penalty). After Jordi Alba pulled back Marin inside penalty area.
3-3. 62. Marin. Fired deflected shot past César following set-piece free kick.
3-4. 65. David Villa. Struck angled shot past Wiese on rapid counter-attack.
4-4. 83. Pizarro. Stooped to head Pasanen cross over César in to top of net.

Valencia made it through to the last eight of the competition after a thrilling 4-4 draw at Werder Bremen on Thursday night. Unai Emery's side were always ahead from the moment that David Villa opened the scoring in the second minute, and Mata added a second on the quarter hour mark. César had to make a couple of saves though from Hunt, and Marchena cleared off the line from Özil before early substitute Almeida got one back midway through the first half.

Hunt and Almeida should both have scored again after that, but with the first half coming to an end Villa scored his second of the night after another Silva assist. César was in action again after the restart to keep out Naldo and Marín, and the German side drew level with two goals in six minutes, the first a hotly disputed Frings penalty which César nearly blocked, and the second a shot from Marin which Silva deflected in to his own net.

Valencia were still ahead on the away goal rule though, and it looked all over when Villa ran on to Mata's long pass to complete his hat-trick. But the German side fought back once again, Pizarro bringing another top class save out of César before the striker finally got the goal he had promised all night, and a by then makeshift defence (Bruno and Marchena had been injured) had to hold on for another frenetic ten minutes. An amazing result, and a tribute to entertaining football.