Atlético Madrid moved a step closer to a second Europa League final in three years after two goals from Radamel Falcao and further two from Miranda and Adrían López gave them a 4-2 win over Valencia in Thursday's semi-final first leg.
The home side started brightly and could have been ahead even earlier as Diego Alves saved from Diego and Adrían before the latter showed great persistence to set Falcao up for the easiest of headers on 18 minutes.
After that initial burst from Atlético, though, Valencia started to gain a foothold in the game and equalised in first-half stoppage time as Jonas swept home Adil Rami's knockdown.
However, 2010 Europa League winners started the second period in even stronger fashion and scored twice in nine minutes as Miranda took advantage of some slack marking to head home Diego's free-kick before Adrían slotted past Alves from a narrow angle.
Falcao looked to have all but sealed Atlético's place in the Bucharest final on 9 May with a sensational goal from outside the area that went in off the bar 12 minutes from time, but Ricardo Costa headed home from another corner with virtually the last touch to give Valencia some hope heading into the return at the Mestalla next week.
Atlético's fast starts at home have been a feature of their run to the semi-finals and they pinned Valencia back in the opening stages.
Firstly, Arda Turan wriggled free on the right and his cut-back should have been dispatched from inside the area by the Brazilian Diego, but he placed his shot too close to his compatriot Alves and he palmed the ball to safety.
Adrían also shot straight at the former Almeria keeper, but Atlético deservedly took the lead when Adrían capitalised on Rami's dawdling to cut the ball back from the by-line and Falcao nodded home his ninth goal in Europe this season.
Valencia's first serious attempt on goal did not come until after the half-hour mark, but it proved to be a warning the Atlético defence did not heed as Rami rose highest to head Tino Costa's corner just wide.
Jonas fired just over after Roberto Soldado had led a lightning quick counter-attack but moments later the Brazilian did have the away goal Valencia craved as he bundled the ball home at the back post after Rami had won another header from a Costa corner.
Unai Emery's men were only level for three minutes after the interval though, as Miranda was left in acres of space from Diego's floated free-kick to easily nod past Alves.
And the home side had a two-goal lead soon after as Mehmet Topal carelessly gave the ball away in midfield and Adrían pounced to fire low past Alves.
The Valencia goalkeeper was called into action on three more occasions to keep his side in the tie, making a brilliant double save to deny Filipe Luis and Arda before turning Diego's free-kick over.
However, there was absolutely nothing he could do to stop Falcao's second as the Colombian broke the offside trap, turned inside on to his left foot and crashed a wonderful shot in off the underside of the bar.
Atlético, though, continued to defend set-pieces in a poor fashion and Costa was left all alone to head home deep into stoppage time to keep Valencia in the tie. Just. Read More
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