Lyon welcomed travelling Valencia to the Stade Gerland in Group H of the Champions League with both sides seeking to claim their first win in the competition.
Neither team was able to create many clear-cut chances in the early stages, although the visitors were later denied when Aymen Abdennour saw his header cannon back off the post.
Valencia were able to grab a vital lead just before half time, though, when Sofiane Feghouli drilled home from the edge of the area.
Lyon sought to press for an equaliser in the second half, but they came up short on several occasions as they laboured to a defeat on home soil.
Relive all of the action with our minute-by-minute coverage below.
Good evening all and thanks for joining us as we bring you live Champions League coverage of Lyon's clash with Valencia. Both of these teams are still to find three points in the tournament following opening-day disappointments.
Tonight's hosts were held in remarkable fashion to a 1-1 draw away at Gent, while Valencia were beaten by Zenit St Petersburg after a hard-fought encounter on Spanish soil. Therefore this evening is of vital importance to both sides as they go in search for three points to help further their aspirations of qualifying out of Group H.
Domestically each of these teams has struggled in their respective leagues. Lyon lost 3-1 to Bordeaux at the weekend and are becoming increasingly adrift of Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain. As for Valencia, they have only recorded two wins this season and have found goals hard to come by in La Liga. The visitors tonight will be boosted, however, by their recent 1-0 win over Granada in the Spanish top flight.
Hubert Fournier has found things particularly difficult going forward following the injury to Nabil Fekir and the current form of Alexandre Lacazette. The French side will be hoping that Ligue 1's top scorer from last year can find his shooting boots again in quick time if they are to present any kind of challenge in the group this autumn.
We have got some team news for you now...
LYON STARTING XI: Lopes; Jallet, Bisevac, Umtiti, Morel, Gonalons, Darder, Tolisso, Valbuena, Kalulu, Lacazette
LYON SUBSTITUTES: Gorgelin, Beauvue, Ghezzal, Ferri, Malbranque, Cornet, Mvuemba
VALENCIA STARTING XI Domenech; Cancelo, Orban, Mustafi, Abdennour, Feghouli, Perez, Fuego, Parejo, Piatti, Negredo
VALENCIA SUBSTITUTES: Yoel, Santos, Barragan, Danilo, Mina, Rodrigo, Alcacer
So the big news from the team sheets is that Claudio Beauvue has been replaced in attack for Lyon by 19-year-old Aldo Kalulu, who is to work alongside key frontman Lacazette and Mathieu Valbuena. There is also a place in the team for industrious midfielder Sergi Darder as he comes in to seek to control the middle with teammates Maxime Gonalons and Corentin Tolisso.
As for the visitors, Paco Alcacer has dropped to the bench in place of Pablo Piatti, who will support forward partner Alvaro Negredo up top. Daniel Parejo should be the key man in the away side's midfield, while Shkodran Mustafi will be trying to continue his impressive form at the back.
Given the strength of Zenit in the group, both of these sides will be aware that they will need to pick up points from their other games. That should inspire some attacking football tonight as three points could mean a lot to the outcome of the group later in the year.
Valencia have tended to do well when playing away in France. As it stands, the Spaniards have lost just twice in 11 previous away matches against French clubs.
If Los Che are to get anything out of this encounter, though, they will have to improve on their goalscoring this season. Valencia have found the back of the net just three times in six league games thus far in La Liga.
Kalulu's rise has been rather impressive and it will be exciting to see the youngsters in Champions League action this evening. He will be hoping that strike partner Lacazette can bring an end to a terrible run in front of goal if Lyon are going to muster any sort of challenge this year.
The French club have won just once at home all season, but they have a rather good record against Spanish sides at home. Lyon have won six, drawn three and lost four of their 13 fixtures against teams from Spain when playing in France.
Here is a quick snap as Valencia arrived at the ground a little earlier this evening:
TEAM | The squad have made their arrival at the Stade de Gerland ahead of #lyonVCF. Kick.off is in over 45 minutes! pic.twitter.com/QMPTeAJpW0
— Valencia CF English (@valenciacf_en) September 29, 2015
Five minutes until kickoff now and it is time for me to make a prediction... Lyon have found things tough going of late, but I fancy Lacazette to show his worth tonight and contribute to a home win. The visitors might grab themselves a goal, though Lyon should see this result out on home soil. I'm saying 2-1 to the hosts.
For Valencia, the Ligue 1 experience of Aymen Abdennour and left-back Lucas Orban could prove important tonight. It will be interesting to see how they get on against a club full of their former French-residing competitors.
KICKOFF! Here we go then... Lyon are in white, while Valencia are in orange. The visitors get things moving with the ball being shifted to the back, where it is then hoofed forward to be won by a Lyon head.
Valencia seek to play themselves into the game with a number of short passes around the back. Abdennour goes for the long ball out to the winger, but his pass is overhit and Lyon win a throw inside their own half.
The hosts come forward down the middle of the pitch only to be pushed back by the visitors. Jallet then finds space beyond his marker with a sharp run into the box, only for Orban to get across to close out the danger just in time.
Parejo gives the ball away cheaply in the middle and Lyon come forward through Darder, who is eventually dispossessed. Valencia are struggling to get out of their own half at the moment. Nothing major to report as yet, however...
Lyon are instating a high press as it stands and it seems to be working. The visitors are still to find anything going forward as their passes are put under real pressure from the French side.
Jallet finds himself on the wrong side of Piatti for the first time tonight and the Valencia man wins a free kick in a threatening area on the edge of the box. The shot is a drilled low one and it is fired straight into the first Lyon defender. A terrible effort considering the position, really...
CLOSE! The resulting corner is whipped into the centre of the box where Abdennour rises highest only to send his header wide of the target without troubling Lopes. That was a great chance. Poor marking from Lyon.
Bisevac makes good progress down the right to win a cheap free kick from Mustafi. The delivery is another poor one and Joao Cancelo clears with a header at the near post.
Valencia move the ball cleverly in the middle before switching a ball out towards an on-rushing Javi Fuego, but his is ruled out for offside as he looks to get past Jallet.
Lyon get their first glimpse of the target when the ball is shifted across to Lacazette. His shot is thwarted by a good block from Joao Cancelo, however, who shuffles across to smother the danger on the edge of the Valencia box.
SAVE! Lopes keeps Lyon level... Piatti finds himself free inside the area as a defending header drops to his feet in the centre of the box. He flashes a first-time effort towards goal, where he finds the Lyon keeping standing firm to keep out his shot.
ALMOST! Lacazette robs Abdennour deep inside the Valencia half and he then feeds in the run of Kalulu. The youngster should shoot, but instead tries to trick his way onto his left foot and is eventually tackled by a retreating defender.
The set pieces have been terrible this evening, this time as Valbuena cannot find his way past the first Valencia defender. Valencia will not be unhappy with this start, they are well in the game and are looking comfortable away from home.
Jallet finds himself with some space down the right flank and he moves forward to pick out a cross into the box. Once more, the final ball is a poor one and Valencia clear with ease. Lacazette does not look best pleased.
OFF THE BAR! Valbuena produces a good turn on the edge of the Valencia area to earn a free kick in a dangerous position just a few yards short of the white line. The playmaker bends his effort towards the top corner, where Domenech does brilliantly to turn the shot onto the crossbar.
We have had the best part of 30 minutes already and Negredo has barely been involved, neither has Lacazette. That has sort of been the problem for both of these sides for the early part of the new season.
More passing around the middle from Valencia, but they have failed to produce the required cutting edge going forward. Much of their play has been far too slow. They are robbed in the middle by Kalulu, who cannot take advantage of the counter.
Valencia show their first real turn of pace down the right wing and it almost has Feghouli in behind his marker. Lyon concede the corner, which is then defended well by Jallet, who heads away at the first time of asking.
OFF THE POST! Lyon take another corner on the chin and the ball into the box finds a free Abdennour who is left unmarked by Tolisso. The centre-back meets the ball powerfully, only for his headed effort to crash back off the post.
The hosts get the chance to cause some trouble with a free kick on the edge of the area. Valbuena can only find the wall this time, while Jallet's effort on the follow-up is blocked on its way to goal by a defender.
All of the chances thus far have arrived by set pieces, which doesn't say much for either of these teams in the final third of each half. We have had lots of short, neat passing, but nothing of any real quality to unlock a defence.
OFF THE BAR! And again... Valencia work the ball down the right and into the box, where the ball is cut back into the path of an on-rushing Feghouli. He only really has the keeper to beat, but instead fires a powerful effort onto the crossbar and away for a goal kick.
GOAL! GOAL! LYON 0-1 VALENCIA (Sofiane Feghouli)
We have an opener. Lyon give the ball away carelessly from a free kick inside the away half and Piatti scrambles forward into space down the left flank. He then moves the ball across the face of the box into the path of Feghouli on the edge of the area, and he winds back to thrash a bullet from range into the top corner of the home goal.
That goal should improve this game tenfold in the second half... Lyon really need to up things now.
OFF THE BAR! Lacazette nips in behind the defence and fires low towards goal. His effort is rebounded up and over the Valencia keeper, who is spared by the crossbar. Kalulu should really crash home the rebound, but instead fires over from close range under pressure.
MISS! How on earth... Lacazette does brilliantly to bring the ball under control in the area. He is tackled before the breaks to Ferri, who can only drag a woeful shot wide from just a matter of yards out. The hosts should be level...
HALF TIME: LYON 0-1 VALENCIA
What a thrilling end to a rather shocking first half of football in France. Ferri will be embarrassed after missing that late chance and Lyon should really be level. As it stands, however, Valencia hold a vital lead at the interval thanks to Feghouli's memorable effort from range.
Neither side has been particularly impressive, but Lyon have squandered a few chances. Valencia might just deserve the lead given that they have found the woodwork on a few occasions. Lyon have done virtually nothing going forward and will be wanting a huge improvement in the second half.
The woodwork has been the standout contributor so far this evening - it has been hit five times already in this game! Fournier will want his side to do more when on the ball, they have been a little lacklustre moving things in the final third. It says a lot when a scramble in the box and a standout free kick have been your best chances of the half.
Valencia have just about shared the majority of possession with 54% of the ball. Both sides have had seven attempts on goal, though Lyon have conjured more threatening attacks with 21 compared to Valencia's 13.
Beauvue could be a good option for Fournier off the bench in the second period. Lyon need to change something in attack because their movement is not causing enough problems for the Valencia defence. The hosts might look to bring Kalulu off if things continue the way they currently are.
The players are now emerging for the start of the second period. We will be back with all of the action just as soon as it gets back underway.
KICKOFF! The hosts get the ball moving in the final offering of 45...
CLOSE! Lyon push a lot of men forward as the ball is whipped into the centre of the area. Lacazette is closest to it, but Mustafi is able to head clear. The home frontman is back in with another chance just a few moments later, only to be denied by Domenech down low.
The home side are enjoying the majority of the ball early on and Valbuena moves into space on the edge of the area. He goes for goal from range, but the shot flies harmlessly over without troubling Valencia.
Much better from Lyon! More bodies come forward now as Kalulu threads in Ferri. He cannot find the target with a shot from inside the area, but it at least shows that the hosts are willing to open up a little more. Game on...
YELLOW CARD! Javi Fuego goes into the book for a late tackle on Ferri.
CHANCE! From the resulting free kick Valbuena finds a smart ball into the front post, where Tolisso rises to head over without troubling the keeper. On second watch it actually catches his shoulder, woeful technique there.
Valencia have failed to offer much in the second half, but are doing just about enough to maintain their lead. They almost come good on the counter through Piatti, although he makes a poor decision when deciding against slipping Negredo through inside the Lyon box.
SUBSTITUTION: Santos comes on to replace Abdennour, who has gone down with an injury.
YELLOW CARD! Gonalons goes into the referee's book for a late barge on Piatti.
Valencia are continuing to give space to Jallet down the right flank, but he fails to deliver with a poor cross into the box that clears every attacking Lyon player. The hosts have been on top for a while although they are yet to really take advantage of it.
CHANCE! Brilliant skill from Kalulu sees him move in behind the full-back. He cuts the ball back into the path of Jallet inside the area, who drags his shot wide of the target. Right ball, wrong target. If that had been a striker Lyon might be back on level terms now.
YELLOW CARD! Kalulu is given the yellow for a late challenge on Joao Cancelo. Replays suggest that the youngster did not really make any contact there. He is a touch unlucky to get booked.
Lyon continue to dominate the second half, but we are still to see that final bit of quality needed to break through the Valencia line. Kalulu has improved greatly, but Lacazette has been nothing but a bystander.
Lacazette finally shows some good feet inside the area to hold up the ball. The striker slips Ferri in on the overlap, who goes down under pressure from a retreating defender. The referee waves play on and Lyon are not complaining too much.
The hosts are doing all they can at the moment to force the issue, this time as Valbuena sends in a free kick into the centre of the box where it is cleared comfortably by the visiting defence.
SUBSTITUTION: Beauvue finally comes on to replace Lacazette, much to the delight of the Lyon fans. Can he change the outcome of this game? We have got just over 15 minutes left...
CLOSE! Valencia almost kill off the game with what could be described as their first major attack of the second half. Thankfully for the hosts, Umtiti is on hand to clear from a dangerous cross into the centre of the box. His touch is clever enough to keep out the chance without diverting the ball into his own net.
SUBSTITUTION: Lyon make another change now as Rachid Ghezzal takes the place of Morel.
The hosts continue to recycle the ball in and around the Valencia area, but the visitors are standing firm. Lyon look a touch bereft of ideas going into the final 10 minutes of the game - they have been very disappointing in the final third.
Lyon's distribution could not be worse now as Valbuena fluffs an easy pass into Jallet on the right flank. Given the lack of urgency in their play, you would not have thought that this is a team that could leave tonight with just one point from a possible six.
The hosts really need something from this game, they travel to Russia next and it would take a strong character to bet in their favour when competing against Zenit on home soil.
More wayward crossing from the right gives Valencia the chance to clear. Santos then has to make a terrific challenge to deny Gonalons as he looks to slot down towards the away side's near post. The visitors are moving back deeper and deeper now. Can Lyon make them pay?
Yet more numbers move forward to put pressure on the visiting box, but still Lyon cannot produce anything of decent quality. Kalulu thinks he has got the space to send home a volley, only for his effort to be smartly blocked on its way to goal.
Lyon have just not done enough to warrant something from this game. They have just started to show a little urgency during injury time... Injury time!
SAVE! Jaume Domenech has perhaps earned his all three points! A corner comes into the head of Tolisso, who sends his header towards the top corner. Thankfully for the away side, their keeper leaps up to turn the ball over the crossbar.
FULL TIME: LYON 0-1 VALENCIA
Well then, Valencia claim a slender away win of vital importance to their aspirations of qualification. Lyon dominated that second half, but were poor in front of goal and they failed to show the required urgency until the game was beyond them in the closing stages.
The French side are really up against things now with just one point from two games, and they will next find themselves competing away in Russia in their next Group H fixture. That is going to be all from us tonight, thank you for joining!
Written by
Christopher Dodd
Christopher Dodd
