Valencia 4 : 0 Sporting Gijon - Four-star Valencia hammer Gijon

Posted Sunday, February 12, 2012 by PA

Valencia strengthened their grip on third place in La Liga with an easy 4-0 victory over relegation-battling Sporting Gijon.

Sofiane Feghouli put the hosts ahead in the 33rd minute, and an Alberto Botia own goal with 17 minutes left made certain of the points.

Valencia then added plenty of gloss to the scoreline as Jonas Oliveira scored twice in injury-time.

It was little more than Valencia deserved as they faced little threat from the visitors and dominated a match which might have seen them score many more had Aritz Aduriz brought his shooting boots.

Aduriz had his first of several misses in only the third minute, turning a good chance over the bar when he met David Albelda's cross on the volley from close range.

Then, in the 10th minute, his header was too high from Luis Miguel's cross.

A rare Sporting foray forward produced a good save from Vicente Guaita in the 15th minute as he tipped Miguel De las Cuevas' shot over for a corner.

Aduriz squandered another chance soon after, getting on to Albelda's cross but sending a close-range effort wide.

The breakthrough came in the 33rd minute, with Jeremy Mathieu teeing up Feghouli for a left-footed finish.

Aduriz then missed with another chance as he watched a mis-hit shot dribble wide in first-half stoppage time.

Tino Costa began the second half with a powerful shot from range that stung the palms of Juan Pablo Colinas, and luckily for the goalkeeper the rebound fell to Aduriz, who dutifully sent a follow-up shot wide.

Roberto Soldado's shot struck the wall following an indirect free-kick after Colinas handed Botia's backpass.

But Botia's luck turned sour again soon after as he inadvertently turned in Feghouli's shot for an own goal.

Adrian Colunga Perez had a late chance for Sporting but it was the hosts who would enjoy a flurry at the finish, with Oliveira heading home from Adil Rami's delivery before grabbing Valencia's fourth with a 93rd-minute strike.