French clubs make merry, English teams struggle

English clubs enjoyed rather less success with Liverpool held to a 0-0 draw at home by Valencia after surprisingly resting England striker Michael Owen and Leeds losing 1-0 away to AS Roma, whose goal came from Marco Delvecchio after 18 minutes. Leeds had Portuguese midfielder Bruno Ribeirosent off in the second half.

Aston Villa provided the one bright spot for England with a 1-0 win away to Spaniards Celta Vigo, unbeaten in the Spanish league this season.

Striker Julian Joachim scored the only goal after 14 minutes when he latched on to a through ball from Stan Collymore and fired coolly home. Villa fielded that rarity nowadays — an all-English team.

The other British representatives in action, Celtic of Scotland, were held 1-1 at home by FC Zurich of Switzerland.

Harald Brattbakk put Celtic into the lead but Urs Fischer equalised 15 minutes From the end. Celtic’s woes were increased by having Tommy Boyd sent off before half-time, conceding a penalty which the Swiss side squandered.

Celtic’s crosstown rivals Rangers travel to play their first-leg match against Bayer Leverkusen in Germany on Thursday night. Lyon came from a goal down to win with a stunning shot on the turn by Frederic Kanoute with just six minutes left against Red Star Belgrade.

Political unrest in Kosovo forcedthe match to be switched to neutral territory outside Yugoslavia, a decision which infuriated the Red Star players who tore into the match in Bucharest as if their lives depended on it. Red Star went ahead with a Dalibor Skaric penalty in the 58th minute after Florent Laville brought down Milinko Acimovic inside the penalty box.Lyon stormed back, however, and Swiss forward Marco Grassi levelled the scores with a fine drive on 70 minutes.

Kanoute’s superb second goal just minutes after he came on as a substitute for the injured Alain Caveglia wrapped up the win as he blasted home a Left-footed volley following a Vikash Dhorasoo free-kick.

Bordeaux survived several uncomfortable moments in the second half to escape with a win in Arnhem.

Sylvain Wiltord, the leading scorer in the French league, scored the only goal just before half-time, when he crashed home an acrobatic volley after a cross from the right from playmaker Ali Bernabia.

It was Vitesse’s first loss at their high-tech new stadium afterbeing unbeaten there for close to two years.

Marseille took the lead midway though the second half in Bremen when Florian Maurice sidefooted the ball home, but Werder hit back almost immediately through veter an Andy Herzog, who netted with a vicious low drive from the edge of the area.

Two goals by Croatian striker Robert Spehar helped Monaco, third in the French Table, to their draw in Graz.

Ludovic Giuly looked to have grabbed a late winner for the Monegasques but Anton Ehmann headed home deep into injury-time at the Arnold Schwarzenegger Stadium.