Europa League

Valencia 6 – Rapid Vienna 0

Valencia: Mat Ryan; Cancelo (Barragán 76’), Aderlan Santos, Rubén Vezo, Gayà; Dani Parejo (Javi Fuego 59‘), Danilo Barbosa, Andre Gomes (Rodrigo 68‘); Santi Mina, Negredo, Piatti. 4-3-3.
Rapid: Strebinger; Pavelic, Sonnleitner, Maximilian Hofmann, Stangl; Schwab, Petsos; Schobesberger, Steffen Hofmann (Grahovac 44’), Kainz (Murg 46‘); Jelic. 4-2-3-1.

Goals:
1-0. 04. Santi Mina. Poked shot past keeper after André Gomes laid ball across.
2-0. 10. Dani Parejo. Ran on to Santi Mina pass and turned shot under Strebinger.
3-0. 25. Santi Mina. Fired shot past keeper after Piatti crossed from left of area.
4-0. 29. Negredo. Got on the end of Santi Mina centre to slide ball in on far post.
5-0. 35. André Gomes. Steered shot past keeper on far post from Santi Mina cross.
6-0. 89. Rodrigo. Connected with Vezo pass and forced shot past Strebinger.

Valencia have finally got their act together after a bad start under coach Gary Neville, a 6-0 victory over Rapid Vienna all but mathematically sealing their place in the last sixteen. Before half time they had already scored five, a new record for the Europa League, with Santi Mina scoring the first and the third, and setting up Parejo, Negredo and Gomes for the other three. After the restart Jelic fired a shot wide and then tested Mat Ryan with a header, but Barragán went close, and Rodrigo completed the “set” in the dying minutes. As chance would have it, it was Neville’s 41st birthday. They couldn’t have given him a better present!