Dani Parejo decides a crazy match in the 98th minute as he slots home his rebound from the penalty spot
What an ending! Villarreal beat Celta (4-3) in the 98th minute, with Dani Parejo scoring from the rebound of his last-minute penalty. It came after Thierno Barry was brought down in the box, before VAR intervened to award the penalty. The Yellows triumphed in a crazy match where attackers thrived and defenders suffered. The supporters enjoyed seven goals and a clash that ended up with Marcelino’s side going to bed at the top of the LALIGA EA Sports table.
Villarreal were facing their third match in the space of a week. Following the draw against Atlético de Madrid and victory against Sevilla, Marcelino once again made changes to his starting XI. Yeremy Pino, Gerard Moreno, Raúl Albiol and Dani Parejo returned to the starting line-up. Celta also rotated players, leaving some of their most important ones on the bench, namely Iago Aspas, Williot Swedberg and Anastasios Douvikas.
The first chance of the game fell the way of RC Celta. A shot from the edge of the area took a nick off Raúl Albiol’s leg, but Diego Conde’s magnificent reflexes were on show once again as he saved it with an outstretched leg on the floor.
With 12 minutes on the clock, Celta surprised the home side with a long ball in behind the Yellows’ defence. Alfon beat Sergi Cardona in a foot race and took the ball past an outrushing Conde. The Yellows’ number 23 got back to clear Alfon’s shot off the line, but it bounced straight into the path of Borja Iglesias to slot home.
Shortly after the midway point of the first half, Villarreal had their first big chance. A rapid combination between Gerard and Álex Baena saw the Almería-born midfielder find himself one-on-one with Iván Villar. However, it was the Celta goalkeeper who came out on top, diverting Baena’s fierce effort out for a corner.
Villarreal were knocking on the door, and the breakthrough came shortly after, from a corner. Álex Baena’s near post delivery was flicked on by Gerard and met by Sergi Cardona at the back post to turn it home. 1-1 at La Cerámica.
With half an hour played, Celta caught the Yellows by surprise again. Óscar Mingueza stepped up to take a free kick on the edge of the box, and his right-footed effort beat Conde at his near post, striking the post as it went it. The Galician side were in front again at La Cerámica, with their second goal from three opportunities highlighting their efficiency in front of goal.
Marcelino’s side did not let their heads drop, and were persistent in their search of an equaliser before half-time. They stretched the pitch, passed with precision and created opportunities. The best one fell to Yeremy, with a header that struck the post. Celta had created few chances, but the Yellows had struggled to contain them. 2-1 at the break.
Marcelino looked to change things up at half-time and brought on Ayoze Pérez for Gerard. 10 minutes later, he made a triple change, with Nicolas Pepe, Logan Costa and Thierno Barry entering the fray. And the match changed completely.
Just before the hour mark, Barry rose to meet a Sergi Cardona cross from the left and directed a magnificent header into the far corner, for his first goal as a Groguet, making it 2-2. The Estadio de la Cerámica was a cacophony of noise and the team seized on the momentum.
Five minutes later, the Yellow Submarine turned the scoreline on its head. Pepe evaded his marker on the right and put a teasing cross in for Ayoze Perez. Jailson had read it, but his touch sent it into the back of his side’s net.
The Yellow Submarine had turned the game around in a flash. Marcelino looked to strengthen up his midfield and gave Baena a rest, with the crowd on their feet to applaud his outstanding effort and commitment to the team, as Pape Gueye replaced him.
With 10 minutes of normal time remaining, Villarreal conceded from another set piece to make it 3-3. Carl Starfelt headed home from Iago Aspas’s cross. Raúl Albiol protested that he had been fouled, but neither Ortiz Arias nor Figueroa Vázquez in the VAR room deemed the push to be significant enough to change the decision.
The last minutes of the game were the purest form of drama. Santi Comesaña thought that he had made it 4-3, but Ortiz Arias ruled it out for an offside that appeared inexplicable at first sight, but then the replay showed an offside of less than five centrimetres. At the other end, Douvikas struck the post with a powerful shot across goal. Conde then made two stunning stops in added time, but the Yellows were unable to capitalise on their quick counter-attacks.
In the 98th minute, Barry was clearly brought down in the box. The referee once again waved play on, before VAR pulled it back for a penalty. Parejo stepped up. His first penalty was saved, before slotting home the rebound. Victory and goosebumps all round for the Yellow Submarine.
