The Submarine deserve more against Real Valladolid after an excellent second half performance
Villarreal drew against Real Valladolid (1-1) in a game that the Yellows got better in as it went on. In the second half Javi Calleja’s side were clearly superior and came close to taking all three points. Gerard Moreno’s goal got Villarreal back in the game after Rubén Alcaraz had given Valladolid the lead early on and the match ended in a share of the points.
Javi Calleja opted for a starting eleven of Sergio Asenjo, Mario Gaspar, Raúl Albiol, Funes Mori, Rubén Peña, Vicente Iborra, Manu Trigueros, Santi Cazorla, Moi Gómez, Gerard Moreno and Paco Alcácer.
In the first half the Yellows struggled to find their best form. Just before the quarter-of-an-hour mark, the home side took the lead through Rubén Alcaraz. A counterattack for the locals finished with Sandro playing a cross into the box which Alcaraz finished neatly with a first-time shot.
The Yellow Submarine had the chance to equalise half an hour in to the game as Paco Alcácer hit the upright in a great counterattacking move by the visitors. Ten minutes later, the Yellows No.17 came close to equalising again in a one-on-one with Masip.
In the second half, the Yellows boss switched to a 4-3-3 formation and there was a noticeable improvement. The Yellows dominated possession and in the 57th minute, after a corner, the ball fell to Gerard Moreno who fired the ball into the back of the net from close range. It came from a brilliant assist by Vicente Iborra who leaped high to head the ball down for Gerard from a Santi Cazorla cross.
The Yellows had the opportunity to go in front shortly after through Paco Alcácer. In the 62nd minute he received a great through ball from Manu Trigueros but his strike went just wide of the near post.
The last half an hour of the game was in the hands of Calleja’s man, who piled the pressure on Valladolid in search of their second goal. Substitutes Ontiveros and Chukwueze gave Villarreal more down the wings but, despite Villarreal getting better and better as the game went on, they could not score the decisive second. It ended with a point apiece in Pucela.
Lineups:
Real Valladolid: Masip; Moyano, Olivas, Salisu, R. García; Óscar Plano (Ben Arfa, min. 77), Míchel, Alcaraz, Toni Villa (Pablo Hervías, m. 64), Enes Ünal and Sandro (Miguel, m. 70).
Villarreal CF: S. Asenjo; Mario, R. Albiol, Funes Mori, R. Peña; Iborra, M. Trigueros, S. Cazorla, Moi Gómez (J. Ontiveros, m. 83); Gerard and Paco Alcácer (Chukwueze, m. 71).
Goals: 1-0. Min 14: Rubén Alcaraz. 1-1. Min. 57: Gerard Moreno.
Referee: Hernández Hernández. Booked: Toni Villa, Javi Moyano and R. Carnero for Valladolid. R. Albiol, Iborra, R. Peña and Quique Álvarez for Villarreal.
Information: Match between Real Valladolid and Villarreal corresponding to LaLiga matchday 23 played at the Estadio José Zorrilla in front of 19,557 spectators.
