Villarreal is still on a roll, after reaching the knockout stages in the Champions League, they beat Rayo in the League in a duel in which Iraola’s men deserved more. The goals of Mandi Y Gerard Moreno in the first half they were enough for the submarine to begin to resurface also in the domestic competition (2-0) where it had added a single victory in the last seven games.
VILL
RVA
Villarreal
Rulli, Mario, Pau Torres, Mandi, Pedraza, Parejo (Capoue, 61 ‘), Iborra, Trigueros, Yeremi (Chukwueze, 61’), Dia (Alberto Moreno, 61 ‘) and Gerard Moreno (Paco Alcácer, 84’).
Vallecano Ray
Dimitrievski, Balliu, Catena, Saveljich (Pozo, 81 ‘), Fran García, Comesaña, Óscar Valentín, Trejo (Nteka, 57’), Álvaro, Isi (Baby, 64 ‘) and Sergi Guardiola (Andrés, 81’).
Goals
1-0 M. 31 Mandi. 1-1 M. 35 Gerard Moreno, from a penalty.
Referee
Melero López (Andalusian). TA: Torres (23 ‘) / Isi (37’), Catena (37 ‘), Fran García (60’)
Stadium
The ceramic. 13,133 spectators.
Villarreal played a lot today in this game but it was Rayo who started with the most force. Little by little the match was balanced with the locals saving everything for the last third, when it seemed that the break would be reached without goals.
On the verge of half an hour, the first arrived. Corner for the ‘groguets’ and Mandi, which came from behind, nodded to the back of the net. After Rayista protests for a push from Iborra on the play, the goal went up to the scoreboard.
With hardly any reaction time came the auction. Penalty that transformed Gerard Moreno to sign his second goal in this league and give a blow to the game in less than three minutes. The script changed and the intensity grew. On the next play, he was about to Isi to cut distances but Mandi, on the goal line, he was able to get the ball out.
With that advantage of the premises and several protests to the referee, the game went to rest. Again, the details had been decisive. It was his turn to risk Rayo in the second half.
But it was the locals who were about to strike. Santi Comesaña he received a ball in the face that momentarily put him out of play and while Rayo played with ten the opportunity came. Pau Torres had the 3-0 in his hands, or rather in his head, but his touch to the great center of Gaspar hit the stick.
He did not lower his arms the whole of Iraola who kept trying. Rulli, one of the key men of the game, saved the first rayista by throwing himself to clear a header from Guardiola.
Anger grew in the Madrid ranks in the absence of ten minutes, when the referee, Melero López, did not appreciate a penalty in a contact in the area on Nteka. Meanwhile, Alberto Moreno He had two clear occasions that would have definitively sentenced the game. But he lacked that ‘killer’ instinct. Marksmanship also lacked Rayo in its siege to the goal of Rulli.
Victoria grogueta that serves to improve a position in the table in which they had stagnated in the last days. El Rayo, remains in a comfortable situation despite the defeat. Now it is time to think about the Cup matches this week: Sanluqueño-Villarreal, Bergantiños-Rayo.