Match ends, Valencia 6, SK Rapid Wien 0.
ValenciaValencia6Rapid ViennaRapid Vienna0
Valencia became the first side to score five goals in the first half of a Europa League match as they thrashed Rapid Vienna 6-0 on manager Gary Neville's 41st birthday.
Five days after Valencia won a league match under him for the first time, Neville saw his players race into a five-goal lead inside 35 minutes.
Santi Mina scored twice and set up three more in a sparkling performance.
The visitors improved after the break but Rodrigo wrapped up the win.
The result matched Steaua Bucharest's competition record.
With a Champions League place at stake for the winners of the Europa League, Neville could end the season on a high despite his side being 12th in La Liga.
"Obviously the result makes it my best night in Valencia," Neville said. "But I've never celebrated victories halfway through the season.
"I hope to start a positive run but it is dangerous to start thinking about turning points."
Earlier on Thursday, holders Sevilla beat Molde 3-0 to take control of their last-32 tie.
Former Juventus striker Fernando Llorente struck twice and Kevin Gameiro added a third as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men were well beaten.
Villarreal will also defend a lead next week after beating Napoli 1-0 thanks to a superb free-kick from Denis Suarez, while Borussia Dortmund took a large step towards qualification with a 2-0 home win over Porto.
Dortmund - who won the now defunct European Cup Winners' Cup in 1966 and the Champions League in 1997 - need the Europa League to complete the set of European trophies and were welcomed by an enormous banner at the Westfalenstadion.
Right-back Lukasz Piszczek put them ahead when Iker Casillas failed to keep out his original effort before forward Marco Reus buried a low shot to finish a clinical counter-attack.
Line-ups
Valencia
Formation 4-3-3
- 25Ryan
- 2CanceloBooked at 70minsSubstituted forBarragánat 76'minutes
- 4Santos
- 3Nunes Vezo
- 14Gayá Peña
- 10ParejoSubstituted forFuego Martínezat 59'minutes
- 12Barbosa da Silva
- 21André GomesSubstituted forRodrigoat 68'minutes
- 22Mina Lorenzo
- 7Negredo
- 11Piatti
Substitutes
- 9Alcácer
- 17Rodrigo
- 18Fuego Martínez
- 19Barragán
- 24Domenech Sánchez
- 29Zahibo
- 42Cheryshev
Rapid Vienna
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 30Strebinger
- 22Pavelic
- 6Sonnleitner
- 20Hofmann
- 23Stangl
- 5PetsosBooked at 75mins
- 8SchwabBooked at 57mins
- 7SchobesbergerSubstituted forAlarat 87'minutes
- 11HofmannSubstituted forGrahovacat 45+1'minutesBooked at 64mins
- 14KainzSubstituted forMurgat 45'minutes
- 9Jelic
Substitutes
- 15Grahovac
- 19Nutz
- 21Knoflach
- 28Correa Miranda
- 29Murg
- 33Alar
- 39Wöber
- Referee:
- Miroslav Zelinka
- Attendance:
- 28,831
Match Stats
Home TeamValenciaAway TeamRapid Vienna
- Possession
- Home51%
- Away49%
- Shots
- Home13
- Away11
- Shots on Target
- Home7
- Away3
- Corners
- Home5
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home15
- Away19
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Valencia 6, SK Rapid Wien 0.
Post update
Corner, SK Rapid Wien. Conceded by Antonio Barragán.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Thanos Petsos (SK Rapid Wien) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Matej Jelic.
Post update
Foul by Álvaro Negredo (Valencia).
Post update
Thanos Petsos (SK Rapid Wien) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Goal!
Goal! Valencia 6, SK Rapid Wien 0. Rodrigo (Valencia) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Rúben Vezo with a cross.
Post update
Corner, Valencia. Conceded by Mario Sonnleitner.
Post update
Corner, Valencia. Conceded by Deni Alar.
Substitution
Substitution, SK Rapid Wien. Deni Alar replaces Philipp Schobesberger.
Post update
Foul by José Gayá (Valencia).
Post update
Mario Pavelic (SK Rapid Wien) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Rodrigo (Valencia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Philipp Schobesberger (SK Rapid Wien).
Post update
Attempt missed. Pablo Piatti (Valencia) left footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Santi Mina.
Post update
Attempt missed. Matej Jelic (SK Rapid Wien) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is close, but misses to the left.
Post update
Attempt saved. Matej Jelic (SK Rapid Wien) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Mario Pavelic with a cross.
Post update
Attempt missed. Antonio Barragán (Valencia) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Álvaro Negredo.
Post update
Offside, SK Rapid Wien. Maximilian Hofmann tries a through ball, but Stefan Schwab is caught offside.
Substitution
Substitution, Valencia. Antonio Barragán replaces João Cancelo.
