AMSTERDAM – Nantes attacker Alejandro Bedoya (above) sparked a Ligue 1 rally on Tuesday, striking the second-half equalizer that led the way for a last-gasp 2-1 victory over visiting Valenciennes.
The playmaker also added several strong defensive plays throughout the game, but his key action came just as the match reached the the hour mark. Bedoya fired home from 20 yards, with the slight detour of a defender's deflection.
The goal was the second of the season for Bedoya, who currently leads all Nantes players in France Football's cumulative player ratings for the term. Meanwhile, the points lifted the Canaries back into fifth place.
Over in Germany's DfB-Pokal, Jermaine Jones and Schalke bowed out of the draw with a 3-1 loss to round-of-16 guests Hoffenheim. Though he was solid for most of the evening, the US midfielder's bad turnover directly led to the third away goal 10 minutes before intermission.
Turning to England's Championship, Daniel Williams set up the winner as climbed to fourth place with a 1-0 defeat of regional guests Charlton.
The midfielder excelled for 63 minutes with an all-around display, picking up his second assist of the season by teeing up Billy Sharp for the only goal the Royals would need just before the quarter-hour. Reading produced consecutive wins for the first time since September to remain unbeaten at home on the campaign.
Elsewhere, Eric Lichaj went the distance as seventh place Nottingham Forest clawed back twice for a 2-2 draw at Millwall. The right back was among the culpable on the home side's second goal.
Tim Ream put in a decent shift at left back in Bolton's 1-0 home defeat to Huddersfield Town.
With teen American prospect Duane Holmes watching from Huddersfield's bench, Ream was robbed of scoring from a corner-kick header by Terriers netminder Alex Smithies midway through the opening frame. The loss dropped Bolton to 18th place, while warming Huddersfield rose to 10th.
