Zenit executed counter-attacking plan - Villas-Boas
Zenit went to the Mestalla intent on allowing Valencia possession, and the plan worked - earning them three Champions League points.
Andre Villas-Boas said Zenit's plan to allow Valencia the ball paid off in their 3-2 Champions League win.
The La Liga outfit had 62 per cent of possession, tallied 15 shots to Zenit's seven and amassed 12 corners to two but came out losers courtesy of Axel Witsel's winner for the visitors to the Mestalla.
Villas-Boas said Zenit wanted to play on the counter, and it worked - Hulk scoring two first-half goals, before Witsel overcame an own goal to power in a decisive effort.
"We played well, although we let Valencia have most of the possession. That was our strategy - to counter-attack," the former Chelsea and Tottenham boss said.
"That is how we got our three goals. The result is fair.
"To have a lot of the ball in football does not necessarily mean a lot.
"That can work during a match and today we were fortunate to win the game using this strategy.
"We did not have the majority of the possession, but when we had the ball we did well."
Hulk is a Brazilian soccer player that plays up top for Zenit St. Petersburg. He also has legs like tree trunks and can kick a soccer ball very, very hard.
To elucidate this point: this absolute rocket that Hulk thumped from 30 yards out against Valencia in the Champions League on Wednesday to grab his second goal of the match.
Valencia 2-3 Zenit St. Petersburg: Hulk and Witsel silence the Mestalla
A brace by Hulk had Zenit 2-0 ahead at half-time, but a positive response by Valencia after half-time levelled up the game at 2-2. Just two minutes after André Gomes’ equaliser, Axel Witsel scored the winner for the Russians.
João Cancelo hit the post after three minutes, with Yury Lodygin in the Zenit goal being let off the hook. The Portuguese right-back’s speculative effort from distance, shot with not much pace, hit the post after Lodygin appeared to think that it was going miles wide and let it go.
Nine minutes in, Zenit took the lead. Following a lot of pressure by Valencia, the Russians countered and Danny passed to Hulk who then took a touch and hit a shot across Juame from just outside the area.
Valencia had a lot of dead-ball opportunities in the first half, but didn’t make the most of them.
Ten minutes before the break, Hulk had an ambitious chip from just inside Valencia’s half that went just over Juame’s goal.
Despite having a lot of the ball, Valencia were punished as Zenit doubled their lead just before half-time.
Danny played a ball up to Artem Dzyuba who headed it down to Hulk and he then hit a ferocious effort from twenty-five yards out that went straight through Juame. 2-0 to Zenit.
At half-time, Nuno had two changes as he took off Javi Fuego and Pablo Piatti and then replaced them with André Gomes and Paco Alcácer. André Gomes was exceptional in the second half.
Paco Alcácer had the ball in the back of the net four minutes in, but it was ruled out for offside.
A further five minutes later, João Cancelo cut the deficit to 2-1. Following a poor corner by Valencia, the ball came back to Cancelo and his cross-shot went in past Lodygin.
André Gomes levelled it up on 73 minutes. After the Portuguese midfielder received the ball in the area, he turned inside Javi García in the Zenit box and his shot went through Lodygin.
Zenit retook the lead two minutes later.
After Axel Witsel received the ball on the edge of the area, he had a shot and connected well as it hit the post and went in. Juame had no chance.
After seven defeats in seven for Zenit when travelling to Spain, André Villas-Boas’ plan worked to perfection as his side frustrated the Spaniards and then hit them on the counter.
This was Valencia’s first defeat at home since 30 November 2014, when they faced the eventual La Liga winners Barcelona.
Nuno will be disappointed with his side and they will be looking to reach the knockout stages after having reached them in six of their last nine Champions League appearances. For now, though, there is work to be done.
Valencia 2-3 Zenit St. Petersburg
Referee: Craig Thomson
Valencia XI: Juame; Cancelo, Mustafi, Abdennour, Gayà; Javi Fuego (45’), Enzo Pérez, Parejo; Feghouli (70’), Negredo, Piatti (45’).
Subs: Paco Alcácer (45’), André Gomes (45’), Rodrigo Moreno (70’).
Goals: João Cancelo (54’), André Gomes (73’).
Yellow cards: Alcácer (52’), Mustafi (93’), André Gomes (95’).
Zenit XI: Lodygin; Anyukov (76’), Garay, Lombaerts, Criscito, Smolnikov (68’); Javi García, Witsel; Danny; Hulk, Dzyuba (58’).
Subs: Viktor Fayzulin (58’), Oleg Shatov (68’), Luís Neto (76’).
Goals: Hulk (9’, 45’), Axel Witsel (75’).
Yellow cards: Smolnikov (15’), Witsel (60’), Hulk (95’).
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Rubin – Lokomotiv 3 – 1 (1-0 Carlos Eduardo, 2-0 Kanunnikov, 2-1 Samedov, 3-1 Bilyaletdinov)
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Anzhi – Terek 0 – 2 (0-1 Lazic OG, 0-2 Lebedenko)
Ufa – Ural 0 – 1 (0-1 Acevedo)
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