A brilliant Costa leads Valencia past Bursaspor
Tino Costa stole the show with a brilliant long-range goal as Valencia started off their Champions League campaign with an outstanding 4-0 win over Bursaspor in Turkey.
It was a complete effort by the Spanish side. Los Che controlled the ball for the majority of the game, moving the ball at will. Valencia entered the contest with many concerns over the health of their most talented player, the Argentine Ever Banega. The former Boca Juniors star was injured over the weekend and did not make the trip to Turkey.
He wasn't needed, however, as another Argentine made the headlines.
Tino Costa opened the scoring in the sixteenth minute with a breathtaking goal from 35-yards out. Costa, who had space in the middle of the field, touched the ball out to his left and drilled a shot that bent by Bursaspor goalie Dimitar Ivankov.
Costa, who joined Valencia from Montpellier over the summer, was not the only new signing to make an impact.
Just before the half, Aritz Aduriz, who signed from Mallorca, headed home Costa's free kick that hit off the right post. The ball hit the inside of the post and found Aduriz seven yards out. The Spanish forward converted on a diving header to put the away team up 2-0 at the break.
Costa was the most impressive player on the field in the first half, contributing on both goals. The tricky midfielder showed poise and patience with the ball, connecting with Joaquin several times on the outside.
He kept it up in the second half, controlling the tempo along with teammate and Turkish star Mehmet Topal.
Midway through the second half, Valencia found the net for the third time.
Pablo Hernandez got on the board as a ball bounced to his foot in the box, allowing Hernandez to poke the ball past the goalie. It was a fortunate shot by Hernandez, who was not even looking at the goal at the time he made contact.
With the three points secured, Valencia was not done.
Their most expensive signing of the summer, Roberto Soldado, found the net in his Valencia debut fifteen minutes from time. Soldado slotted home a shot past Ivankov on a breakaway for the fourth goal.
Valencia sit in first place in Group C with three points. Manchester United and Rangers, the other two teams in the group, tied 0-0 in Manchester. Each team has one point. Bursaspor sits at the bottom with zero points.
Valencia hosts Manchester United in the next fixture on 29 September. Bursaspor will travel to Glasgow.
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