Sofiane Feghouli knew Valencia would need to play a counter-attacking game to beat Lyon after his goal clinched a first Champions League Group H win for the Spaniards.
Feghouli struck a first-half thunderbolt that proved decisive in a game full of chances at the Stade Gerland with five efforts repelled by the woodwork.
The win gives Valencia their first points of a European campaign that began with a 3-2 defeat to Zenit St Petersburg, and Feghouli praised his team-mates’ performance throughout a tense contest.
He said: “It was very important to win. The pace was hellish.
“We have done very well, created chances in the first half. In the second we sat back and we suffered a little.
“We knew that we would have the space to counter and we have taken advantage."
Feghouli added: “This remains a difficult start to the season. We're playing well, but no team is showing signs that it is united and knows what it wants.”
