St Etienne 2 - 2 Valencia

Les Verts finish top

Updated: December 17, 2008, 4:57 PM ET

St Etienne held on to top spot in Group G after playing out an exciting 2-2 draw against second-placed Valencia in testing conditions at a snow-covered Stade Geoffrey-Guichard.

Brazilian forward Ilan twice put St Etienne ahead with contrasting first-half goals, but Valencia battled back both times thanks to strikes from forwards Fernando Morientes and Nikola Zigic.

St Etienne will be disappointed not to have taken all three points after creating a host of good chances, but they will be satisfied to have denied Valencia the chance to pip them to the group win.

Valencia had an early chance to draw first blood when the unmarked David Albelda side-footed wide from 12 yards out, but it was St Etienne who would take the lead in the 29th minute with a well-worked goal from Ilan.

Dimitrie Payet played a superb ball through the heart of the Valencia defence and Ilan latched onto the pass, raced 30 yards into the Valencia area, before cleverly scooping the ball over Valencia goalkeeper Vicente Guaita.

St Etienne's lead lasted just four minutes though before veteran Valencia forward Morientes pounced on a low Joaquin cross to slot home his 44th goal in UEFA club competition from close range.

The hosts did not let that goal set them back though as they re-established their lead just before the break.

Ilan thought he had scored just moments before only to be judged offside, but there was no denying the Brazilian in the 44th minute as he made the most of a bad mistake by Guaita.

Guaita should have collected Geoffrey Dernis' low cross easily, but he fumbled the ball and allowed Ilan the simplest of finishes into an empty net.

Guaita went someway to making amends for that error though as he made two crucial saves in as many minutes at the start of the second half to deny Dernis and Kevin Mirallas.

St Etienne were rampant at that stage and the 21-year-old Guaita made a one-handed save to deny Dernis, three minutes later Payet rounded the Valencia custodian only to see his shot strike the near post.

Alain Perrin's side were unable to make their dominance count though and Valencia, UEFA Cup winners in 2004, made them pay by equalising through Zigic in the 72nd minute.

Substitute Miguel sent over a deep cross from the right and the leaping Asier Del Horno headed it back down into the six-yard box where Zigic ducked down to head an easy finish into the empty net.