Villarreal makes a commendable effort to sign a draw with numerical inferiority against Rayo Vallecano
Villarreal scored a creditable point against Rayo Vallecano (1-1) in the last match of the year 2024 at the Estadio de la Cerámica. The Groguets, on whom luck continues not to smile, quickly conceded the 0-1 and shortly after they were left numerically inferior due to the expulsion of Willy Kambwala. Despite all the conditions, the Submarine did not give up and even, in some phases, dominated a match that would be tied through Ayoze Pérez in added time of the first half.
The Submarino received Rayo Vallecano to play the match postponed by DANA, corresponding to matchday 12 of LALIGA EA Sports. The groguets came into the match at a time of need, after accumulating three consecutive defeats between LALIGA and Copa del Rey. A small blip after a fabulous start to the season under the command of Marcelino García Toral.
With all this, the Submarino was more eager than ever to make amends and give the fans the last victory of the year at the Estadio de la Cerámica. He entered the match well and had a couple of chances in the early stages of the game. Yeremy had the best shot with a low shot that stopped Batalla with a great dive. A robbery by Santi Comesaña when the visitors took the ball led to the promising action.
Luck, which had eluded Villarreal so much in the last few games, continued to turn its back on Marcelino’s team. In the 20th minute, they conceded 0-1 in the Madrid team’s first dangerous play. Álvaro García took advantage of his speed to win a ball into space and beat Luiz Júnior with a low shot.
The Rayista goal meant a bucket of cold water for the Groguets, who shortly after were going to be outnumbered due to the expulsion of Willy Kambwala. The Congolese defender saw the red card for a harsh tackle on Óscar Valentín in a dispute.
Even with ten players, Villarreal did not lose face of the match and had a 1-1 lead on a couple of occasions. Both from Ayoze. One with a first shot at a long ball from Cardona and, later, with a header from Barry’s center. The reward for persistence came in the 45th minute when Ayoze Pérez himself burst the top corner of the goal defended by Batalla with a sublime right hand. Denis Suárez distributed the assistance.
In the second half, the Submarine confirmed that, despite the circumstances, they were not satisfied with a draw. Marcelino maintained the defense of three and proposed the match from power to power even with one less player on the field.
During the first minutes of the second half, Villarreal kept the pressure on Rayo for the ball. Although as the clock progressed, the groguets players lost steam. Iñigo Pérez’s men, fresher, got hold of the ball and began to press in the opposite field.
In the last part of the second half, Marcelino revolutionized the bench, bringing on Gerard, Pau Cabanes and Juan Foyth, who returned after several months away from the playing field. Fresh legs to face the final stages.
In the 81st minute, Jorge de Frutos missed a great opportunity to tip the game in favor of the visitors, but everything was not yet said in La Cerámica. The Submarine looked for long balls and set pieces. Only a shot from Bernat, which was stopped by Batalla, could have prevented the final tie at La Cerámica. With this distribution of points, he says goodbye to his fans until 2025.
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