Valencia seal second phase place with win at Liverpool
Valencia have qualified for the second phase of the Champions League after beating Liverpool 1-0 in a hard-fought Group B match with Francisco Rufete scoring the only goal at Anfield after 34 minutes.
Valencia have qualified for the second phase of the Champions League after beating Liverpool 1-0 in a hard-fought Group B match with Francisco Rufete scoring the only goal at Anfield after 34 minutes.
The victory moved Valencia on to 13 points from their five matches -- six more than Liverpool who remain second on seven. Basel (5 points from four games) play Spartak Moscow (0 points from four games) next week.
The goal came after Curro Torres and Rufete combined on the right before Curro Torres crossed into the middle. John Carew then played the ball back to Rufete whose shot took a deflection off Liverpool captain Sami Hyypia which gave goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek no hope of saving.
Both sides had chances to score with Michael Owen going close for Liverpool after 48 minutes before being denied by goalkeeper Santiago Canizares while Kily Gonzalez hit the Liverpool crossbar with a speculative cross in the 11th minute.
Valencia are the only side to have beaten Liverpool in a competitive match this season, a feat they have now managed twice after their 2-0 victory at home in the opening game of the competition on September 17.