Stoke v Valencia: Match Report

Mehmet Topal's wonder strike broke Potters fans' hearts as the European new boys lost 1-0 at home to the mighty Valencia.

Stoke played with the fight and determination of Sir Walter Raleigh himself as they faced the Spanish Armada of Valencia in a titanic Europa League clash last night.

With the wind in their proverbial sails, the Potters got off to a rampant start as they tried to take the game straight to their opponents in their usual direct fashion.

Stoke and Valencia line-up before kick-off

Jon Walter's strike 60 seconds into the opening exchanges lit the fire in the home fans bellies before the Ireland international came inches from turning in a Rory Delap trademark throw, that somehow flew through a crowded penalty area untouched.

But City's early advances gave false hope to the 24,000 in attendance and soon it was the visitors who were dictating play.

Pablo Piatti, Jonas Goncalves De Oliveira and Sofiane Feghouli all looked lively both on and off the ball as they began to haunt Robert Huth and Ryan Shawcross, turning their Europa League dream into a nightmare.

Asmir Begovic's save to deny Jonas from close range signaled that the tide had finally turned in favor of the Champions League dropouts and it wasn't long before they had a deserved lead.

When Mehmet Topal collected the ball 35-yards from goal, Stoke's defenses sat back, expecting the threat to come from the masses on the edge of the area.

Topas though, had other ideas and unleashed an unstoppable strike that rocketed into the top corner of the Potters net.

The home side bravely battled on, woken up from their ball watching after falling behind.

Pennant found Peter Crouch at the top of the Valencia area but his scissor kick, a carbon copy of the one scored against Galatasary in his Liverpool days, curled up and over Vicente Guaita Panadero's goal.

Only a handful of Valencia fans made the trip to Stoke

The second half was far more a kin to the usual battles fought at the Brtiannia at weekends.

Puli's men pressed, harassed and sometimes kicked, their way through the Valencia ranks but only Huth and substitute Ryan Shotton were able to threaten the visitors goal.

The towering German defender managed to send Pennant’s corner just wide of the target, while Shotton saw his strike deflect neatly into Guaita's arms.

The game became scrappy as Shawcross, Wilkinson, Walters and sub Dean Whitehead all picked up bookings as their frustration boiled over.

Valencia though, gave as good as they got, and when Whitehead was clattered by Tino Costa at the end, calls for the red to be brandished came roaring from the stands and the Stoke dugout.

Fenghouli looked to double his sides away goal tally but Huth’s timely deflection steered the ball onto the post, while top scorer Roberto Soldado failed to shine under the floodlights, coming off the subs bench 13 minutes before time.

The Mestalla beckons Stoke in a weeks time, but going there a goal down leaves plenty for the visitors to do. But stranger things have happened and their showing tonight will have given them some confidence that they can compete with the elite on home soil at least.