Sturm Graz 0 - Valencia 5

Valencia: Cañizares; Ayala, Pellegrino, Djukic; Angloma, Mendieta (Albelda 83'), Deschamps, Kily González (Vícente 75'); Aimar; Juan Sánchez, Carew (Diego Alonso 80'). 3-4-1-2.

Goals:
0-1. 05. Ayala. Looping header after Mendieta corner from right.
0-2. 50. Carew. Following up after Sidorczuk saved from Sánchez.
0-3. 59. Kily González. First time shot from left of area after Mendieta pass out.
0-4. 89. Diego Alonso. Got ahead of keeper to head in Vicente's cross.
0-5. 91. Diego Alonso. Toe-poked past keeper after Vicente played in from left.

Group A league table:
Valencia .....................9 points
Manchester Utd .......9 points
Sturm Graz .................6 points
Panathinaikos ..........2 points

An easier than expected victory by Valencia in this match, running out 0-5 victors at the Arnold Schwarzenegger stadium with a powerful display of football, particularly in a goal-packed second half. Fielding an almost full strength side, only missing the suspended Baraja and the injured Carboni, Valencia overpowered a Sturm Graz side that has been one of the revelations of this Champions League. Ayala gave the Spaniards the lead in the opening minutes with his first goal for his club, looping a header over the keeper after Mendieta's corner. However Sturm came back strongly, with their danger man Vastic striking a free kick just wide and Cañizares making a spectacular save from a Haas header. But then Prilasnig got himself sent off with a foul on Carew as he advanced on goal, Italian referee Stefano Braschi forgetting to give him a card until reminded by the fourth official.

That signalled the end of the Austrians' fight, and when Carew added a second shortly after the break it was all over. Two minutes later the referee inexplicably ruled out a Kily González goal, but it mattered little as the Argentinian winger got another a few minutes later which counted. Héctor Cúper started to rest his key players for their weekend league game, with Mendieta being replaced by Albelda once he had picked up his third yellow card of the championship, meaning he will miss the last fairly irrelevant game against Panathinaikos next week and be clear for the quarter finals. Diego Alonso took advantage of a fifteen minute opportunity to add two late goals, making him Valencia's top scorer in the tournament with six, and substitute Szabicks missed a chance of a consolation goal right at the end.

Valencia's away goal against Manchester United takes them top of their group ahead of the English club on particular goal average, and also means that they are automatically qualified for the next round. A win against the Greeks next Tuesday will make them group champions, which means they will at least avoid Real Madrid at the quarter final stage. That is a lower priority though, as they need to consolidate their third position in the league to ensure a place in next year's competition. Sturm Graz will have to beat Manchester by more than three goals at Old Trafford if they want to continue this year, although the way their fans kept up the support right to the end, they are just happy to get this far. A place with the big boys in the last eight was beyond their wildest dreams.