C.D. Leganés great effort in La Cerámica did not payoff (2-1)

C.D. Leganés was not able to earn a point in the visit to Villarreal (2-1). After an equalized first half, the goals by Bacca and Ekambi gave the advantage to the yellow ones. Nabil El Zhar scored five minutes before the match ended via a penalty kick.

Offside goal nulled for Villarreal at the beginning of the game

Mauricio Pellegrino’s team started the match in shock. After a long pass, Samu ended alone against Cuéllar and defeated the cucumber goalkeeper. The second referee called the offside, then confirmed by the VAR. Happened during the first minute of the match and the cucumbers organized their lines so it would not happen again.

The cucumbers defended very organized during as the match resumed. Calleja’s team, in need of points to exit the lower section of the table, tried and tried to find space in Mauricio Pellegrino’s team defense. The Yellow ones were only able to beat the defense once during the first half, but Pichu Cuellar blocked the shot, preventing Villarreal from breaking the score.

As time passed the cucumbers started to feel more comfortable in the match and had a chance through a free kick cross by Rubén Pérez, headed by Siovas to Omeruo, who then headed but Andres Fernandez was able to block the shot. The first half ended with a tie without any goals in the score.

The Villarreal goals came in the second half

After the half time, the cucumber side jumped on the pitch of La Cerámica with a different mindset, pressing their rivals and reaching their goal constantly. The team had a great chance after a cross by the captain, Bustinza, which Gumbau missed only by a little.

Unfortunately, when the cucumbers were playing at their best, came the Villarreal goal. A cross from the left side, headed by Ekambi, greatly blocked by Cuellar, but the Colombian forward, Carlos Bacca, was able to shoot the ball into the net after the rebound. A goal that changed everything for the cucumbers, who modified the team in search for a goal.

When the cucumbers were fighting to score the equalizer, the Yellow ones scored the second goal after a nice play by Ekambi through the left side eluding the defenders and finding the space to shoot the ball close to the second post, unreachable to Cuellar. It was a two-goal difference with only ten minutes to go, seemed hopeless for the cucumbers but it did not end that way.

Nabil El Zhar gave hope to the Cucumbers with penalty kick goal

Five minutes away from the end of the match, a nice run by Braithwaite through the left side provoked a penalty kick. Nabil El Zhar picked the ball confidently and with his right foot defeated Andres Fernandez to give hope to the Cucumbers in the final minutes. Villarreal ended the match with a perfect defense that prevented the Cucumbers from reaching the yellows goal and equalizing the match.

Mauricio Pellegrino’s team maintains a position in the middle of the table and faces two matches in Butarque. On Wednesday at 20:30h against Athletic Club the first one and the second one versus Celta.