The Tenerife-born striker gives Villarreal their first league victory with a last-gasp strike
Ayoze Pérez’s goal deep into added time gave Villarreal their first league victory of the season. The Tenerife-born striker latched onto a loose ball in the area and fired home, when the game looked set to end all square.
The Groguets took the lead through Arnaut Danjuma in the first minute of the match, before Dodi Lukebakio drew Sevilla level. But it was the away side who secured all three points through the ex-Real Betis man at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán.
Villarreal’s intensive fixture list to start the season, with three matches in the space of a week, meant that Marcelino rotated his side at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán. The Asturian-born coach made four changes from the side that started against Atlético de Madrid, with Nicholas Pepe, Pape Gueye and Willy Kambwala making their debuts for the club and Ilias Akhomach in the side for his for start of the season.
The Yellows stunned Sevilla from the kick-off. In the first minute, Álex Baena’s perfectly weighted through ball split the Sevilla defence and found Danjuma. The Dutch forward raced clear and arrowed a fine strike past Orjan Nyland, and Villarreal were ahead with Danjuma’s second goal in as many games.
It did not take long for the home side to respond. With seven minutes on the clock, they had the ball in the net through Juanlu Sánchez, but it was ruled out for offside. The Groguets had failed to deal with a move that started from a throw-in.
As the half went on, the Yellow Submarine found themselves struggling to find their rhythm on the ball. Sevilla were winning the ball back in dangerous positions and were a constant threat for the Yellows, who were defending as a low block and looking to break quickly.
Diego Conde came to his side’s rescue with a stunning save on 36 minutes. Saúl Niguez found himself in space after latching on to a Lucas Ocampos pass, but the Villarreal goalkeeper was equal to his brilliant effort.
As had happened against Atlético, Sevilla punished Villarreal just before half-time with the equaliser in added time. A long ball forward found Lukebakio, who unleashed a powerful drive to beat Diego Conde. 1-1 at the break.
Marcelino García Toral’s side came out energised after half-time. They were dictating the play at the start of the second half, and almost went ahead again through Danjuma. He raced onto another Baena pass, but his effort was saved by Nyland.
Despite the Yellows’ strong start after the interval, Sevilla began to take control of the match. Only a magnificent double save from Conde stopped them going ahead. Minutes later, he was called on again to make a miraculous save to turn Saúl’s free-kick onto the bar, when it looked destined for the back of the net. It was an extremely tough period for the away side, with the home side in the ascendancy.
Marcelino called upon his bench and refreshed his forward line. Ayoze and Thierry Barry came on for Danjuma and Pepe. Just before the 70 minute mark, Villarreal thought they had made it 2-1, as Santi Comesaña volleyed home from an Ilias Akhomach cross, but it was ruled out, with Barry millimetres offside in the build-up. Bad luck for the Groguets.
The two who had combined for the offside goal were then replaced by Yeremy Pino and Dani Parejo. Raúl Albiol was then brought on for Eric Bailly, who was struggling with an injury.
As the clock ticked towards 90 minutes, Sevilla continued to press forward and were camped in the Yellows’ half, with the away side defending resolutely for the draw.
But Ayoze changed everything. The Tenerife-born striker silenced the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuan right at the end, capitalising on a loose ball in the area to make it 2-1. The Yellow Submarine had secured all three points at a very difficult ground.
