The B team go close to a victory that slipped out of their hands in added time
Villarreal B were held to a bittersweet draw by Marbella FC in the opening game of Sunday’s Primera RFEF Group 2 fixtures. The Yellows, who outplayed their opponents for large stretches of the game, took the lead early in the second half through Requena. However, they were unable to hold on and Callejón, in stoppage time, scored the equaliser, which was little reward for the hard work put in by Miguel Álvarez’s men.
During the early stages of the game, it was the visitors who carried the weight of the game, trying, through long periods of possession, to break down the fierce Yellow defence. Marbella’s first attempt came in the 18th minute through Dorian, the man who led their attack, who tried to surprise Iker Álvarez with a powerful right-footed shot, but the Andorran goalkeeper was unable to stop the shot easily.
The intense, high pressing from the Marbella side affected Villarreal B, who, as the minutes passed, began to step into the opposition’s half. So much so that in the middle of the first half, Miguel Álvarez’s men had a triple golden opportunity that almost turned into a goal. First Eyong, then Víctor Moreno and finally Requena failed to capitalise on a poor save by the visitors’ goalkeeper, who was careless with his goal for a few moments, but on three occasions the Marbella defenders appeared to deny the ball and prevent the Yellows from scoring.
The dominance of the game became more evenly balanced and, during the final minutes of the first half, neither Villarreal B nor Marbella had any great chances to take the lead. At the end of the first half, it was goalless.
The second half started in the best way for the Mini Submarine. In the 52nd minute, Requena headed in at the near post from a corner that he himself had created to make it 1-0, not in the first instance due to the goalkeeper’s save, but in the second after collecting the rebound.
Marbella FC reacted and began to look for the equaliser against the Yellows, who refused to let themselves be subdued and looked for the goal of the game. So much so that it seemed closer to becoming 2-0 than 1-1; however, from a free-kick in stoppage time, José Callejón scored a bittersweet equaliser for Villarreal B, who remain in fourth place with 22 points.
Villarreal B’s next game will take place on Sunday 15th December, when they take on Intercity at the Estadio Antonio Solana at 12pm CET in a match corresponding to Matchday 17 of the 2024/25 Primera RFEF season.
