Villarreal 2-2 Sevilla
Sevilla’s sharp display in the second half fueled a timely comeback against an in-form Villarreal to grab a valuable point in last night’s La Liga match at the Estadio de la Ceramica.
An early Paco Alcacer goal put the home team on top but it was answered back by Sergio Escudero towards the end of the first half.
The Yellow Submarine were threatening to break away with the win as Pau Torres scored another one just before to end the first half. However, Munir El Haddadi came to Sevilla’s rescue with his own as well in the late game.
The said result solidified Los Palanganas’ hold at the third spot at the table, and it was much needed especially since Atletico Madrid are coming off of a crucial 1-0 victory against Real Valladolid two nights ago.
Julen Lopetegui’s men have 53 points – trailing by 12 against the league leaders in Barcelona and Real Madrid. However, their La Liga 2020 odds of securing a Champions League berth for next term have increased dramatically.
For Villarreal, they are still in a good spot placing sixth at the table with 48 points and they were able to overtake Real Sociedad by a solitary point since the latter lost against Real Madrid.
Villarreal, Getafe, Real Sociedad, and Valencia remain in a tight four-way race towards securing an Europa League berth.
Today, let us look back at all the action and La Liga 2020 highlights here at SBOBET.
Highlights of the game
I mentioned in this match preview on Paco Alcacer being the x-factor for Villarreal. And in this game, the Spanish forward would finally show glimpses of what he is capable of.
In the 18th minute, Alberto Moreno found Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa inside the box for a header that was saved by Tomas Vaclik and the former Borussia Dortmund striker was at the right place and at the right time to slot in Villarreal’s first goal of the match.
The Yellow Submarine would try to add on to their lead when Paco Alcacer spearheaded their counter attack 12 minutes later. Alberto Moreno was on the receiving end of a beautiful cross by Paco Alcacer, but Tomas Vaclik was there again for the save.
Sevilla would equalise in the 38th minute when Sergio Escudero launched a long-range strike from the left flank, catching Villarreal defenders who were backing off him by surprise. It was the team captain’s first goal of the season.
However, the draw would not last long when defender Pau Torres scored a header after a corner kick in the 49th minute. Paco Alcacer was once again responsible for creating that scoring opportunity for his teammates.
Lucas Ocampos, who has been playing well for Sevilla, came off the bench and tried to make an impact in the 59th minute when he launched a cross for a possible chance. However, Joan Jordan’s header attempt was blocked by Sergio Asenjo.
Julen Lopetegui’s gamble paid off when he brought in Munir El Haddadi after halftime as he scored his eighth goal of the season. Jesus Navas launched a cross from the opposite side and the 24-year-old striker belted the goal wonderfully during the 63rd minute.
Sevilla would have one more chance to gain the advantage in the game’s later stages. After a flubbed corner kick by Ever Banega in the 85th minute, Sergio Escudero launched a long volley from the opposite side but Luuk de Jong’s header was saved by Sergio Asenjo.
Key statistics
Both Villarreal and Sevilla remain undefeated since La Liga’s restart. Villarreal have notched three wins and one draw in their first four matches while Sevilla won once and drew three times.
One of those three draws include a goalless draw against Barcelona, which effectively put Real Madrid on top of the standings once more.
Villarreal 36-year-old midfielder Bruno Soriano was able to make his first La Liga appearance in over three years after being hobbled by knee injuries. His last match dates back to May 2017.
Sevilla had the lion’s share of the possession at 58-per cent and they also had more total shots (12) and corners (8).
What’s next?
Villarreal will have one more home game against Valencia this upcoming Sunday before visiting Real Betis at the Benito Villamarin Stadium next week Thursday.
Sevilla, meanwhile, will turn their focus in getting more points as they face some of the bottom-tier teams in La Liga such as Real Valladolid, Leganes, and Eibar.
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