Valencia picked up their first European points of the season, beating Kuban Krasnodar 2-0 this evening.
The Spaniards bounced back from their 3-0 defeat to Swansea City two weeks ago.
They made several changes for tonight's game, resting several key players, but still had too much for their struggling Russian opponents.
See how the action unfolded with Sports Mole's minute-by-minute coverage below.
Thanks for joining me this afternoon, for what should be an entertaining game between two sides who are desperate to get their respective European campaigns going.
Both these teams were comfortably beaten on matchday one of the Europa League but, certainly in Valencia's case, they have a lot more to offer than they showed that evening.
Since their defeat to Swansea, Valencia have won three league games in a row, conceding just one, and I fancy them to continue their good form today.
The Russians, meanwhile, are languishing down in 11th in their league after a poor run of form has seen them slip dangerously close to the relegation zone. A win in front of their own fans this evening could provide the team with some much-needed confidence.
Krasnodar will be lifted by the news that several of Valencia's key players could be rested today. Brazilian striker Jonas, Helder Postiga and Ever Banega could all miss out for the Spaniards. Youngster Paco Alcacer is expected to be given a chance to prove what he can do up front.
And without further ado, let's get those teams in...
TEAM NEWS
KUBAN KRASNODAR XI: Belenov; Kozlov, Xandao, Dealbert, Melgarejo; Khubulov, Fidler, Tlisov, Bueno; Popov; Cisse
VALENCIA XI: Guaita; Barragan, Costa, Ruiz, Guardado; Feghouli, Parejo, Fuego, Bernat; Canales, Piatti
So, the hosts stick with their familiar 4-4-1-1 formation, with Ivelin Popov playing just off former Liverpool striker Djibril Cisse. They also have a former Valencia player within their ranks. Defender Angel Dealbert spent three years at the Mestalla between 2009 and 2012.
For Valencia, there is no Paco Alcacer as many had expected. Instead the talented Sergio Canales partners Pablo Piatti in attack, suggesting that the visitors will play very much on the counter-attack.
Canales is one player I am particularly looking forward to seeing today. He arrived at Real Madrid the same season as Jose Mourinho and looked like a potential superstar but a broken leg and several false starts later, the 22-year-old is still waiting for his career to really take off.
Behind him, Daniel Parejo and Sofiane Feghouli will provide the creativity in Valencia's midfield. I think the Spaniard will probably have a little too much for their opponents today, but away from him in Europe, especially on a chilly night in Russia, anything can happen!
PREDICTION: With less than 10 minutes to go until kickoff, I think it's time I got off the fence and made a prediction. As I mentioned, I believe Valencia will be too strong tonight. That's not to say it will be an easy game. Kuban Krasnodar 1-2 Valencia.
Krasnodar is probably not the most intimidating stadium in Russia, but the eccentric crowd and cold weather will not be something these Valencia players are too used to as they come out onto the pitch.
The pre-match routine is almost over and everyone is ready for kickoff...
Krasnodar get us underway...
A fast start from the home side as they force a throw-in on the right. Fidler gets to the byline and flashes the ball across the box but Valencia get it away for a corner, which Guaita claims easily.
They get to the byline again, this time on the left after good work from Bueno who is eventually fouled by Barragan. Khubulov takes the free kick and whips it past everyone and out for a goal kick on the far side.
Valencia finally get out of their own half as Parejo sprays the ball wide to Guardado, who plays a one-two with Benat and wins the corner but Krasnodar get the ball away.
Parejo is starting to see more of the ball for Valencia now and with Bernat coming in off the left, there is plenty of space for Guardado to get down the line and win another corner...
Benelov flaps Parejo's corner away but only to the edge of the box, where Canales controls well but fires well over the bar.
Cisse flies past Costa on the right and delivers a cross but Barragan is covering to get the ball away from Popov!
Parejo releases Piatti on the left. The Argentine just manages to get his cross in but Feghouli is beaten in the air. Valencia keep possession and come again on the left but are forced back to Parejo.
Valencia are trying to keep possession in a bit more of a measured approach now. Parejo is seeing a lot more of the ball but the Spaniards are reluctant to force the issue in the opponent's half.
Costa and Ruiz keep the ball unchallenged at the back for Valencia who try to spring forward on the left. Guardado loses out though and Krasnodar break.
CHANCE! Tlisov picks up the ball after Feghouli is dispossessed and finds the gap to release Cisse into the area, but the Frenchman fires wide of the target!
That was the best chance of the game so far. The hosts have look threatening on the break so far, while Valencia have controlled possession without threatening the goal too much. They need to get Piatti and Canales into the game more.
The Spaniards want a penalty as Guardado picks up a loose ball and goes down under a clumsy challenge in the box, but the referee is unmoved. Khubulov is then booked for a bad tackle on Feugo.
YELLOW CARD! Khubulov is rightly booked for a strong tackle on Feugo in the middle of the pitch.
Barragan and Feghouli are forced back on the right before Parejo's clever through ball is cut out. The visitors are starting to set up camp in the Krasnodar half.
SAVE! Piatti's corner is met by Costa, whose powerful header is straight at Benelov. The Russian then blocks a long-range effort from Parejo.
I must correct myself. The defender actually heads the ball against Costa for that Valencia chance a second ago. The Valencia man knew little about it.
Khubulov makes a silly tackle on Guardado which could have easily resulted in a second yellow card, but the referee just gives him a stern look instead.
Canales skips away from a challenge in midfield and breaks forward before playing it wide to Feghouli. Valencia eventually switch the ball to the left and back again, but Parejo's long-range effort is blocked.
Guardado switches the ball to Barragan, whose cross is deflected for a throw-in, which Valencia waste.
Guardado is beaten to the ball by Khubulov, who gets to the byline and crosses the ball. Cisse is beaten in the air but Beuno keeps the move alive on the left, however his cross is claimed by Guaita.
Valencia are trying to increase the tempo now, they're getting the ball forward quicker but their attackers are too small to deal with anything in the air. It's easy for the home defence.
It's the hosts who want a penalty this time as Khubulov rides a challenge in the box and then hits thin air as he tries to shoot. The midfielder feels that he is impeded by Ruiz but the referee again waves away the claims!
Feghouli is coming into the centre more now. He plays an excellent ball over the top for Barragan on the right, who lays the ball first time into the box but no one is there to finish it!
Valencia play their way out of defence well on the left and Guardado finds Bernat, who cuts back inside and is brought down by Kozlov.
YELLOW CARD! Kozlov goes into the book for cynical foul on Bernat.
Piatti picks the ball up on the edge of the box and feeds Canales but the former Real Madrid youngster can't sort out his feet in time and Krasnodar clear the ball.
YELLOW CARD! Parejo becomes the first Valencia player into the book for a high foot.
CHANCE! Another great chance for Cisse, possibly even better than the first. Canales gives the ball straight to Bueno on the right, and the Krasnodar man finds Cisse in the middle of the box, but he heads the ball down and past the post!
HALF-TIME: Kuban Krasnodar 0-0 Valencia
I don't think either side will be disappointed with the score at half time as they go in goalless at the break.
Valencia have played the better football and have dominated possession as you might expect but it is Cisse who has had the two best chances. The striker really should have scored his second one in particular, but the hosts will be pleased with their first-half display.
After I gave him the big build up, Canales has failed to get into this game at all. It is the player's fault rather than anything the team as a whole is doing and I wouldn't be too surprised to see him withdrawn if it is still 0-0 after 15 minutes.
The final third has been the problem for the visitors. They've had some joy on the wings but are reluctant to cross the ball with a lack of height in the middle.
Krasnodar's Popov is their top scorer in the competition so far with three goals in qualifying, but the playmaker has failed to really influence the game today.
It looks like one goal could win it this evening, and if I had to put money on it, I would stick with my original prediction of a Valencia win.
The players are making their way back out onto the pitch. No changes for either side at the break.
Valencia kick off the second period.
YELLOW CARD! Barragan brings down Beuno on a counter attack.
Another big penalty claim for the home side! Beuno is released through the middle by Popov and goes down under a challenge from Barragan. The referee again waves play on despite roars from the crowd.
Parejo finds space in the middle, before finding Feghouli. with a pinpoint pass. The midfielder is brought down on the edge of the box as he turns, giving Valencia a free kick in a good position...
SAVE! Parejo takes the free kick but it is an easy one for Benelov, who catches easily.
CHANCE! Krasnodar immediately break on the left with Khubulov, who beats his man and chips the ball back from the byline. It misses Cisse by Beuno comes in off the left and somehow misses the target with his header!
SAVE! End-to-end now as Valencia break with Piatti on the right. He cuts inside and beats his man but the goalkeeper palms away the shot and the hosts clear the ball.
Cisse somehow collects a clearance while being challenged by two defenders but his touch is heavy and runs through for the goalkeeper.
The game has settled down again now and reverted to a similar patter to the one in the first half. Both sides are readying changes.
SUBSTITUTION: Canales comes off for Valencia to be replaced by Federico Cartabia, while the hosts bring on David Tsoraev for Khubulov.
CHANCE! Costa plays the ball down the line for Feghouli who whips the ball across the face of goal, but no Valencia players are there to finish. Krasnodar concede the corner, which they clear.
CHANCE! Piatti breaks forward and into the box before feeding the ball right to Cartabia, who miss-kicks horribly and the goalkeeper gathers the ball.
SUBSTITUTION: That is Piatti's last contribution as he is replaced by Paco Alcacer.
SUBSTITUTION: The hosts make another change as Gheorghe Bucur replaces Bueno.
The hosts are the ones doing all the pressing now. They force a corner on the left which eventually finds its way to Tsoraev, but he fires well over.
GOAL! Kuban Krasnodar 0-1 Valencia (Alcacer)
Dear, oh dear. Benelov, who has been competent on most occasions tonight, has just given the visitors a gift. He comes racing out of his area for a long ball, which he misses, allowing Alcacer to run free and pass the ball into an empty net!
SUBSTITUTION: Valencia are looking to sure things up now. Oriol Romeu comes on for Parejo.
It will be dangerous for Valencia to just sit back now. They can expect an onslaught, and another goal on the break would be perfect for the visitors. They almost get it as Feghouli runs free on the right but sees his effort deflected wide.
Guardado eventually picks up the ball after the corner is cleared but fires an ambitious effort miles off target from 35 yards.
Feghouli nicks the ball from Kozlov and plays it inside to Cartabia who is fouled on the edge of the box as he flicks the ball over the defender.
GOAL! Kuban Krasnodar 0-2 Valencia (Feghouli)
That should wrap it up for the visitors. Feghouli steps up to take the free kick and bends it around the wall and into the bottom corner. The goalkeeper might have done better bit he saw the ball very late.
SUBSTITUTION: Just before that free kick, Cisse was replaced by Ibrahima Balde for the home side.
Krasnodar are still fighting. Popov turns well in midfielder and fires and effort just wide as he breaks towards the edge of the box.
Balde fights for the ball on the edge of the box. It eventually falls to Tsoraev but he can't get enough power in his shot and Guaita gathers easily, adding a fall to the floor to waste an extra few seconds.
YELLOW CARD! Malgerejo receives a booking after bringing down Feghouli with Valencia on the counter attack.
The hosts are keeping Valencia boxed in during these last few minutes but are yet to really test Guaita.
Valencia win a corner on the break but are sending very few men forward as we move into injury time.
SAVE! That doesn't stop them forcing a good save from Benelov though. Alcacer picks up the short corner, darts inside and fires at goal but the goalkeeper is equal to it.
FULL-TIME: Kuban Krasnodar 0-2 Valencia
2-0 suggests that the game was rather comfortable for Valencia and while they were probably the better side, they were gifted the lead that was the catalyst for their win.
The home side were resolute and offered a threat on the break but, in the end, lacked the real quality to hurt Valencia.
As I said at the beginning, I thought the Spaniard's extra quality would tell, and so it proved. Thanks for joining me and make sure you stick around on Sports Mole for coverage of all tonight's Europa League games.
Written by
Daniel Cross
Daniel Cross
