Lille: Elana; Beria, Basa, Chedjou, Digne;
Gueye, Mavuba (Marvin Martin 55'), Balmont (Payet 69'); Kalou, Bruno (Roux
77'), Rodelin. 4-3-3.
Valencia: Guaita; Ricardo Costa,
Rami, Víctor Ruíz (Jonathan Viera 82'), Cissokho; Albelda (Gago
73'), Tino Costa; Feghouli (Piatti 60'), Jonas, Guardado; Nelson Valdez.
4-2-3-1.
Goals:
0-1. 36. Jonas (penalty). After Basa pulled down
Jonas himself inside area.
Valencia ended their group with a 0-1 win at Lille, although they only finished second after Bayern Munich beat BATE Borisov in the other group match. Caretaker manager Voro took charge of the side prior to Ernesto Valverde's incorporation, and he put out a safe starting line-up without too many changes. Their opponents though were already out of Europe, and neither team showed too much enthusiasm in the opening half an hour, with Basa heading wide and Guaita dealing easily with long shots from Rodelin, Mavuba and Balmont. At the other end Elana was only troubled by a couple of long efforts from Tino Costa, but with ten minutes to go to the break Jonas won himself a penalty after Basa held him back in the area, and the Brazilian forward took the responsibility himself to convert the resulting spot kick. After the restart the Ches slowed things down to defend their lead, and Jonas came close to a second with a shot just wide of the post. However the French side stepped up a gear in the last twenty minutes, and they felt themselves unlucky not to have at least picked up a point after Payet rattled the crossbar and Kalou and Roux forced Guaita in to the two best saves of the night. Just the result that Valencia needed though after the traumatic last two weeks, and hopefully things will settle down again in the Mestalla stadium once Valverde gets his feet under the table.