Javier Hernandez came off the bench on Wednesday night to net in the 85th minute and earn United victory in Spain for only the second time in the club’s history.
The Mexican, on as a 77th-minute substitute, took just eight minutes to make his mark in the Mestalla, drilling home a low left-footed shot from the penalty spot to secure a famous win.
The result sends United top of Group C on four points, alongside Rangers, with back-to-back games against Turkish champions Bursaspor next in line.
Victory in Valencia on Wednesday night was no mean feat. Los Che currently top La Liga, ahead of Spanish football's traditional giants Real Madrid and Barcelona, and went into the game boasting an 11-game unbeaten home run in European competition.
What’s more, the Reds achieved the win without Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville. Injuries meant all four missed United's flight to Spain on Tuesday, so the sight of Rio Ferdinand back in the centre of defence was particulaly reassuring.
In only his third start of the season, Ferdinand never looked flustered and showed no sign of the back and knee injuries that have forced him to miss 61 of United's last 103 fixtures. A sliding interception on 71 minutes was as vital as anything he’s produced during his eight-year spell at Old Trafford and kept the Reds in the game just as Valencia were showing signs of moving in for the kill.
Source : Man Utd
