Valencia and Kuban Krasnodar met in their Europa League Group A clash on Thursday.
The home side had already sealed their place in the next round of the competition while the Russian side still had a small chance of progressing.
However, Kuban crashed out of the competition as they could only get a point from the game as Lorenzo Melgarejo cancelled out Paco Alcacer's opener.
Read how all the action unfolded in our commentary below.
Good evening and welcome to the live commentary of the Europa League clash between Valencia and Kuban Krasnodar.
The home side are already through to the next round of the competition following their win over Swansea City last time out, so they will just be looking to play this game out.
Kuban can still make it through to knockout round but will need Swansea to lose in their clash with St Gallen and for them to win this evening, involving a three-goal swing in goal difference.
The last time the sides met earlier in the competition Valencia ran out comfortable 2-0 winners as goals from Paco Alcacer and Sofiane Feghouli secured the victory.
The team news has been released and we'll start with the home side.
VALENCIA STARTING XI: Alves, Ruiz, Pereira, Ricardo Costa, Banega, Fuego, Michel, Cartabia, Gaya, Postiga, Gabon.
VALENCIA SUBS: Guaita, Mathieu, Romeu, Feghouli, Parejo, Piatti, Paco Alcacer.
KUBAN STARTING XI: Belenov, Armas, Dealbert, Kozlov, Melgarejo, Bugaev, Kabore, Ignatyev, Sosnin, Khubulov, Balde.
KUBAN SUBS: Karuykin, Xandao, Fidler, Cisse, Lobkarev, Bueno.
STAT ATTACK! Valencia have won their last four games in the competition following their opening-game defeat to Swansea City.
Kuban are yet to win away from home in the competition this season but are unbeaten in their last three games with two draws against Swansea and a win over St Gallen.
The players are out on the pitch and we should be underway shortly.
We're underway at the Mestalla.
Pereira knocks a low cross into the area for the home side early on but the ball is cleared behind for a corner by Armas.
Cartabia whips in the corner to the back post where Ricardo Costa wins the ball in the air but he can only head his effort wide of the target.
Valencia work the ball across the field with a neat possession game and it comes out to Pereira down the right and he beats his man for pace but his cross is poor as he scuffs it behind for a goal kick.
A slow tempo to the game at the moment as Kuban are allowing Valencia to dicate as they're comfortably passing the ball between their defence and midfield without any pressure.
Valencia push forward and Pabon receives the ball on the edge of the box and fires an effort at goal but his shot is tame and easily gathered by Belenov.
CHANCE! Valencia come within inches of opening the scoring as Banega raids forward and slips a through ball to Michel who blasts an effort from 25 yards but his shot swerved just wide of the post with Belenov beaten.
Balde is down for the visitors as he crumpled to the floor after going up for a header. He looks in pain and may be forced off.
Better intent from the visitors as Khubulov gets at Pereira down left and he beats the defender to the byline but his cross into the area is poor as it falls straight into the hands of Alves.
Michel gets forward for Valencia and tries to hit Postiga with a cross in the box, the ball is cleared back to him and he gets a second attempt and this time finds the striker but his header under pressure from Dealbert is poor and Armas clears again.
OFF THE POST! Michel see his header from 10 yards out clatter off the post as it looked destined for the net as he latched onto Pereira's cross into the penalty area. Belenov was beaten and that's real let off for the visitors.
The visitors raid upfield on a counterattack as Khubulov tries to get into the area, he beats a tackle and manages to bear down on goal but he tries to slide a pass to Ignatyev but he is flagged offside.
CHANCE! Khubulov gets down the left again for Kuban and he hits a powerful pass across the face of goal but no player in yellow is there to turn the ball in, but Ignatyev collects on the edge of the area and drills a low area which goes just past the post.
SUBSTITUTION: Khubulov is replaced by Bueno as he took a knock earlier in the game and can't continue.
Michel gets to the edge of the box with a surging run up the middle of the pitch and he cuts the ball back to Banega, who takes a heavy first touch but then fires at goal but Belenov makes a comfortable stop.
Valencia again work the ball on the edge of the area and the ball comes to Pabon who decides to shoot at goal but his effort goes wide of the target.
Bueno gets the ball in the middle of the park and takes the ball forward to the edge of the area and he twists and turns Ruiz before firing a left-footed effort at goal but his shot was always going wide.
Michel shoots at goal from distance and sees his effort deflected wide for a corner.
Cartabia lifts a cross in from the corner and Postiga rises highest in the area but he can't get any power on his header at goal and his effort goes onto the roof of the net.
Banega runs from deep yet again in this half but is brought down 30 yards from goal by Kabore and the referee awards a free kick.
Cartabia lines up the free kick and strikes a powerful shot but his effort goes straight into the wall and the visitors clear the danger.
Valencia finally think they've got the breakthrough as Banega raids down the left and slides a cross into the area for Postiga who pokes the ball into the net from close range, but his effort is ruled out for offside.
Cartabia's cross loops towards the back post and Armas has to be alert to head the ball behind for a corner as it looked as through the ball was going to settle in the net.
There will be two minutes of added time.
Michel whips the ball into the box from a corner but the ball is cleared back to him, on the second attempt he finds Ricardo Costa but the defender can only head the ball past the post.
HALF-TIME: Valencia 0-0 Kuban
It's goalless at the Mestalla at the break but Valencia have come the closest to breaking the deadlock as Michel saw his header clatter off the post. Other than that the home side have had half chances and Postiga saw his effort ruled out for offside.
Kuban don't have the look of a side who need a win to stay in the competition. They have showed little urgency with the ball and haven't pressured Valencia enough. They will need to improve drastically after the break for force a positive result.
We're back underway at the Mestalla.
YELLOW CARD! Sosnin goes into the book as he brings down Cartabia outside the penalty area and this will give the home side a chance to threaten.
Pabon lines up the free kick and fires his effort straight into the wall and the visitors clear the danger.
Dealbert has to react quickly to avert the danger as Cartabia whips a dangerous cross into the area and the defender cleared before the ball reached Postiga poised to strike in the middle.
CHANCE! Kuban hit Valencia on a counterattack as Cisse races upfield and is one-on-one with Alves, 10 yards out he shoots at goal but the keeper gets down well to make the save to keep the scores level. What a chance that was!
Kuban have started this half a lot better than they did the first as it is them who are dictating the tempo and keeping the ball with solid possession.
YELLOW CARD! Fuego goes into the book for the hosts for a foul on Kabore.
CHANCE! Cisse is denied by Alves again as the ball falls to him in the box but the keeper does well to keep the ball out with a low save and he gets to his feet quickly to make the follow-up stop to keep his side in the game as Melgarejo looked to pounce.
Valencia respond as Pereira slides a ball into the box and it falls to Pabon who tries to turn and shoot but Armas does just enough to win the ball from the striker and play it back to Belonov who clears downfield.
Cartabia picks up the ball on the left and drives at the Kuban defence, he shoots from distance but his effort is deflected wide for a corner.
Cartabia's first corner is cleared behind and on his second attempt the visitors clear the danger as his ball into the area doesn't beat the first man.
Cisse has made a difference since his arrival from the bench and he continues to make an impact as the ball is given to him on the edge of the area from Sosnn, he turns and shoots but his effort is blocked by Ricardo Costa.
GOAL! Valencia 1-0 Kuban (Alcacer)
Valencia take the lead as Banega slides a through ball for Alcacer behind the Kuban defence, he takes a touch to knock it round Belenov but it takes him away from goal, he shoots from a tight angle with Dealbert on the line but the defender misses the ball and it goes into the back of the net. An instant impact after coming on the field to replace Postiga.
That goal seems to have deflated Kuban who now face an almost impossible task to get back into the game and earn qualification into the knockout stages of the competition.
Kuban win a free kick as Gaya brings down Kozlov down the right and they have a chance to put a ball into the box.
Ignatyev whips a ball into the box and Armas wins the header but his effort goes wide of the target.
Pereira advances down the right for Valencia, no challenge comes in from a Kuban defender and he continues to run at goal before firing an effort from 20 yards out which goes just wide of the target, hitting the side-netting.
CHANCE! Valencia almost double their lead as Piatti raids down the left and fires a cross into the area for Alcacer who pokes an effort at goal but Belenov make an excellent reaction save to divert the ball away and Armas turns the ball behind for a corner.
Banega puts the resulting corner into the box but Fuego heads his effort over the bar after meeting the cross into the box.
YELLOW CARD! Ignatyev goes into the book for the visitors for a foul on Piatti.
GOAL! Valencia 1-1 Kuban (Melgarejo)
Out of nowhere the visitors are level as Bueno raids down the left and gets to the byline, where he lifts a cross to the back post which evades the hands of Alves and Melgarejo is left with a simple headed finish into the empty net. There's life for the Russian side.
Banega raids forward deep from midfield and he decides to take a shot on and his effort is deflected wide for a corner.
From the resulting corner Banega whips the ball in and Ricardo Costa gets up but his effort goes wide of the post. Kuban are hanging on and will be boosted by the fact that Swansea are losing to St Gallen.
RED CARD! Ruiz is given his marching order as he goes into a tackle with Kozlov and shoves his studs into the defender's midriff while on the floor. That is an appalling tackle and the referee rightly gives him a red card.
There will be three minutes of added time.
Kuban win a corner and even Belenov comes up from the back.
Ignatyev whips in the corner but his delivery is poor and the home side clear but only as far as he keeper who knocks a long ball forward but Kozlov fouls Piatti and that should be game over.
FULL-TIME: Valencia 1-1 Kuban Krasnodar
That's it Kuban crash out of the competition as they can't find a winner and Swansea will advance from Group A along with Valencia.
Thanks for joining our commentary, be sure to stick with us for the rest of our Europa League coverage this evening.
Written by
Simon Sinclair
Simon Sinclair
