Gary Neville’s first game ends with embarrassing defeat as Lyon dump out Valencia

Valencia 0 Lyon 2: Gary Neville’s first game in charge of Valencia ended in an embarrassing defeat — with his team humbled 2-0 at home by Lyon to crash out of the Champions League.

In the former Manchester United player turned TV pundit’s first game as a manager his team were well outplayed by a Lyon team who arrived at Mestalla with nothing to play for.

The Ligue 1 outfit’s teenage winger Maxwel Cornet opened the scoring with a beauty just before half-time, and young centre-forward Alexandre Lacazette made it 2-0 on the break late on.

Coupled with Gent’s 2-1 victory Zenit Saint Petersburg in the night’s other Group H game, it means that Valencia slip into the Europa League — where they could well face Neville’s former club Manchester United after Christmas.

Neville kept changes to a minimum when naming his first ever XI as a manager. The only differences from Saturday’s 1-1 La Liga draw with Barcelona, which Neville watched from Peter Lim’s private box, were returns for fit again centre-back Shkodran Mustafi and back from suspension Joao Cancelo.

Valencia thought they were ahead inside eight minutes, when Mustafi headed in Rodrigo De Paul’s corner, but Slovenian referee Matej Jug had seen an infringement. The visitors grew in confidence as the game went on — with Los Che keeper Jaume Domenech making four fine saves inside the opening 30 minutes — including one from Lyon right-back and Neville’s former Man United teammate Rafael da Silva.

Neville had called before the game for home fans to make the ground a “horrible place” for opposition teams, but there was a strangely subdued atmosphere throughout — especially after news filtered through that Gent had gone ahead mid-way through the first half. Lyon goalkeeper Anthony Lopes saved well from Paco Alcacer’s header, but mostly the visitors were on top. A hamstring injury for midfielder Enzo Perez was another downer for the home fans.

Eight minutes before the break, 19 year old Cornet made the mood even glummer by driving down the right side of the penalty area and then curling over Jaume to the far top corner of the net.

Neville sent on former Manchester City striker Alvaro Negredo early in the second half, taking off midfielder Danilo and going to a more attacking shape.

Negredo linked well with strike-partner Alcacer in one move, but Lopes saved easily. The home team had lots of the ball now, but few clear chances were being created.

Lyon have been hurt by injuries this season, were only playing for pride as already eliminated from competition, and had just one draw and four defeats from last five in all comps.

They were full value for the win here though. Lacazette and Sergi Darder passed up decent chances for 2-0 before the former showed superb composure to race clear and tuck home from 15 yards.

Mestalla was emptying well before the end. This was not the start that Neville, or club owner Peter Lim, wanted.

VALENCIA:

Jaume, Joao Cancelo, Mustafi, Abdennour, Gaya, Danilo (Negredo 52),Parejo, Perez (Javi Fuego 23), Santi Mina, Alcacer, De Paul (Piatti 75).

LYON:

Lopes, Da Silva ,Morel, Yanga-Mbiwa, Bedimo, Darder (Kone 77), Gonalons, Tolisso, Cornet, Lacazette (Beauvue 77), Grenier (Ghezzal 69).

Ref:

Matej Jug (Slovenia).