Hansen's Leeds verdict

BBC Sport's Alan Hansen reflects on Leeds United's Champions League semi-final first leg stale-mate with Valencia.

What a great game - it had everything apart from goals.

There were lots of chances, some quality play, great defensive performances and it was ultra-competitive.

Leeds had four or five really good chances, but so did Valencia, and you have to look at the 90 minutes and say that a draw was a fair result.

David O'Leary's got to be upbeat following the match and you wouldn't expect him to be anything else - David's not going to say his side will struggle in the second leg.

Canizares made a "fantastic" save

And although they might not, it will certainly be very difficult for Leeds in the Mestalla Stadium.

If you had offered Valencia 0-0 before the match they would have bitten your hand off.

Valencia are a good side defensively and they were composed and very good on the break.

The orchestrator in chief was Gaizka Mendieta who was fantastic.

Mendieta's a quality player who is great on the ball and he was unlucky not to score.

And so were Leeds.

You couldn't fault David's side for their commitment and effort.

But some of their play in the final third of the pitch was not as good as it could have been and they may eventually pay the penalty for that.

Smith rues another missed opportunity

They played a high tempo match, but when the chances fell to Alan Smith and Lee Bowyer, they missed, for them, what were good chances with which they would normally have hit the back of the net with ease.

And when they did find the target Santiago Canizares made a fantastic save to get back across the goal and claw away Dominic Matteo's effort.

At the other end Nigel Martyn also made some fine saves to keep Leeds in the game - but Valencia will not rue their missed opportunities as much as Leeds.

At this level it's critical that if you get chances at home you stick them away.

Valencia will look to do that next time out and for me they are slight favourites to make the final.