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Goliath slams David Valencia thunders past Sturm Graz 5-0, into quarters
Updated: Wednesday March 07, 2001 6:50 PM
GRAZ, Austria (AP) -- Last year's finalist Valencia trounced Sturm Graz 5-0 in the Champions League Group A on Wednesday to secure a quarterfinal berth in the tournament. In the match that was billed as a David and Goliath affair, the mighty Spanish side first struck just five minutes after kickoff. Mendieta delivered a corner right in front of the goal, which was neatly picked up by teammate Roberto Fabian Ayala and headed straight into the net. Just two minutes later, Sturm's striker Ivica Vastic failed to convert a free kick when his shot slid just past the post. Playing before a capacity crowd in the Arnold Schwarzenegger Stadium, Sturm started nervously and their passing lacked the accuracy needed to get an early grip on the match. Robert Ibitsberger crossed to Mario Hass in front of the goal in the 26th, but Valencia's goalie Canizares got his fingers to the shot and tipped it over the crossbar. Disaster struck for the home team in the 35th minute when Gilbert Prilasnig brought down the giant Norwegian midfielder John Carew just outside the penalty area. Italian referee Stefano Braschi showed sent Prilasnig off, leaving Sturm down to 10 men for the entire second half. Valencia added its second goal five minutes into the second half when Mendieta set up another pass straight to the foot of Carew who slipped it past the Sturm goalkeeper. Carew's shot in the 57th minute shaved the post, but three minutes later teammate Killy Gonzales drove his straight into the net to put Valencia 3-0 ahead. The crowning moment for the Spanish side came just before the end of regulation time. In the 88th minute Vincente slipped the ball to Diego Alonso who flicked it in with a header for 4-0. Just two minutes later, Alonso found himself again directly in front of the goal and secured the visitors' fifth goal. Mendieta, who played a dominant role in Valencia's victory saw a yellow card in the 78th minute and is out for the next match. Teammate Mauricio Pellegrino shared the same fate.
Valencia coach praises players after 5-0 thrashingValencia coach Hector Cuper praised his players after they thrashed group A rivals Sturm Graz 5-0 on Wednesday to secure a place in the quarterfinals of the Champions League. Goals by Fabian Ayala, John Carew, Kily Gonzalez and two by second-half substitute Diego Alonso allowed Valencia, last season's beaten European Cup finalists, to post only the third away win by that scoreline since the competition started in 1992. "We are happy to have made it to the quarterfinals. My men played with a lot of self-confidence. They had a positive attitude and presented themselves as a well-united team. I am especially pleased about this," said Cuper. The Argentine coach said the match had lost all momentum after Sturm were reduced to 10 men when defender Gilbert Prilasnig was sent off for a professional foul. Prilasnig brought down Carew just outside the box in the 35th minute. "The early goal by Ayala [in the fifth minute] and the dismissal completely demotivated Sturm. They began making very many mistakes and we were able to capitalize on that." Cuper said that Valencia's successful campaign in the second phase of the competition would now allow them to fully concentrate on the Spanish league championship. Valencia is unbeaten in the second phase of the Champions League but Wednesday's win marked only their second win after a comfortable 2-0 victory over Sturm Graz at home in November. They have also struggled in the Spanish league and were lucky to draw 1-1 with unfancied Real Zaragoza last weekend. "We must now focus and fully concentrate on winning the Spanish title," said Cuper. Sturm coach Ivica Osim admitted Valencia had simply been too strong for his side but said the runners-up in last season's Austrian league had basically helped the Spaniards obtain the victory. "The difference between the two clubs is not as great as the score suggests. We helped Valencia a lot with all our mistakes. The dismissal also did not help us," he said. "We were forced to take more risks than we had planned to take after the early goal." The Bosnian coach was, however, not saddened by the defeat and said: "Sturm achieved more in this season's Champions League competition than we had ever expected to achieve. "Our dreams of perhaps making it to the quarterfinals are definitely over. I am aware of the fact we still have a theoretical chance but I'm not a dreamer." Sturm is third in the group standings, three points behind Valencia and Manchester United who both have nine points. The Austrians can only overtake the English side if they manage to beat United by at least three goals in Manchester next week.
SummaryScorers: Fabian Ayala 5, John Carew 50, Kily Gonzalez 60, Diego Alonso 88, 90 Red card: Gilbert Prilasnig (Sturm Graz) 35 Halftime: 0-1; Attendance: 16,000 Teams: Sturm Graz: 1-Kazimierz Sidorczuk; 12-Gilbert Prilasnig, 11-Gyorgy Korsos, 7-Gerald Strafner, 23-Robert Ibertsberger, 8-Markus Schupp, 30-Andres Fleurquin (16-Ferdinand Feldhofer 61st), 20-Mehrdad Minavand (14-Jan-Pieter Martens 74th), 21-Tomislav Kocijan (19-Imre Szabics 61st), 10-Ivica Vastic, 31-Mario Haas Valencia: 1-Santiago Canizares; 5-Miroslav Djukic, 12-Fabian Ayala, 2-Mauricio Pellegrino, 20-Jocelyn Angloma, 6-Gaizka Mendieta (23-David Albelda 82nd), 4-Didier Deschamps, 18-Kily Gonzalez (14-Guillen Rodriguez Vicente 77th), 35-Pablo Aimar, 17-Juan Sanchez, 7-John Carew (9-Diego Alonso 79th) Referee: Stefano Braschi (Italy)
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