Football returned to Villarreal, after ten very difficult days and a forced postponement of last week’s match against Rayo. Marcelino’s team received Alavés with the aim of continuing to dream of the heights of LALIGA EA Sports. Ayoze and Pépé started as offensive references for the Yellow Submarine and Ander Guevara started as the only novelty in the babazorro team, replacing the injured Carlos Benavídez.
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The meeting started with a very dull atmosphere in the stands, still affected. Villarreal tried to lift their team with push and accumulating corner kicks at the beginning. Marcelino’s men dominated, but left spaces in the transitions, which the Vitorian team took advantage of with the speed of their wingers. Carlos Vicente left a favorable ball for Guridi, who failed to give him direction in the grogueta area.
As the minutes passed, the first setbacks began for Marcelino. Kiko Femenía was injured, leaving Pau Navarro in the side. Alavés did not give up the attack and Kike García crashed a header into the crossbarwhich put fear into La Cerámica’s body. Diego Conde managed to deflect the babazorro striker’s shot to save the first of the game.
Villarreal took note and reacted. Nicolas Pépé drew a good unmarking and connected with Ilias Akhomach, who took a masterful shot to the long post to open the scoring. The Moroccan winger celebrated with the Valencia souvenir shirt. With the local team ahead, Ilias himself twisted his knee, which forced him to lie down on the grass and ask for help from the assists.
Just three minutes after his great goal, Akhomach left the game on a stretchervisibly affected and with all of La Cerámica fearing the worst. Villarreal went into half-time ahead, but with a lot of concern about the possible injury to one of their emerging stars.
The second half started with Villarreal determined to put the finishing touch and not suffer. Yéremy Pino was the one who replaced Ilias and settled on the right. The second almost came out of his boots as soon as he started. Abqar cleared a cross from the Canary Islands winger and it almost became an own goal. The groguets grew and the attack pieces continued to work.
Ayoze stirred up Marcelino’s team and in an unmarked move he faced Sivera, who reacted well, but could not prevent Pépé’s goal. The linesman was attentive and raised the flag to annul it for offside. The Ivorian striker wanted more and He took a spectacular left foot shot into the top corner that didn’t get on the scoreboard either. Villarreal missed the second by centimeters and Alavés still had a pulse.
With ten minutes left in regulation time came the action that closed the game. Quintero González awarded a penalty for a handball by Manu Sánchez. The babazorro team claimed that that hand was preceded by a foul and controversy broke out. The VAR checked and ratified the referee’s decision. Dani Parejo was in charge of executing Gloriosofrom eleven meters, in the face of indignation.
With the match sealed, Alavés continued looking for a thread of hope to cling to, but it was too late and Marcelino’s team went on the counterattack. Santi Comesaña appeared on the balcony of the area to score the third with a clean and unappealable left foot. Villarreal draws a smile amid so much pain and continues to fly in the standings.
Technical sheet:
Villarreal: Diego Conde; Kiko Femenía (Pau Navarro, 24′), Logan Costa, Raúl Albiol, Sergi Cardona; Pape Gueye (Comesaña, 72′), Dani Parejo, Ilias Akhomach (Yéremy, 46′), Álex Baena; Ayoze (Bernat, 85′), Nicolas Pépé (Barry, 72′).
Alavés: Sivera; Tenaglia, Abqar, Pica, Manu Sanchez; Guevara (Joan Jordan, 69′), Antonio Blanco, Carlos Vincent (Conechny, 77′), Abde Rebbach (Carlos Martin, 54′), Guridi (Stoichkov, 69′); Kike Garcia (Tony Martinez, 77′).
– Goals: 1-0, min. 38: Ilias Akhomach. 2-0, min. 81: Dani Parejo, penalty. 3-0, min. 89: Comesaña.
– Referee: Alejandro Quintero González, of the Andalusian Committee, cautioned Sergi Cardona (min. 45+1), Guevara (min. 62), Carlos Martín (min. 75), Tenaglia (min. 83).
– Incidents: Match played at the Estadio de la Cerámica before 17,659 spectators. A minute of silence was held in memory of those affected by DANA, in which the anthem of the Valencian Community was played. Villarreal wore a completely black kit.
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