Villarreal CF overturn FC Sion’s first-half lead with three goals after half-time

Marcelino García Toral’s Villarreal CF have achieved their first victory of the pre-season after fighting back in the second half after FC Sion’s opening goal (1-3). Pape Gueye, Ramon Terrats and Yeremy Pino scored the goals in the second pre-season friendly, which took place at the Stade Eugène-Parlier in Montreux (Switzerland).

The Yellows were totally superior in the first half. Unquestionable ball control, fluid ball circulation until they reached the opponent’s area and quick recoveries in the opponent’s half… but without reward despite the numerous chances to score. The first chance fell to captain Manu Trigueros, who was very active in the early stages of the game and was also the man behind the Yellow Submarine’s second dangerous approach, before the quarter of an hour mark, with a combination on the edge of the area with Pau Cabanes, who finished the action with a powerful shot from the edge of the box.

Marcelino’s side continued to dominate the game, but in the 36th minute, after a double chance in less than a minute from Danjuma and Comesaña, FC Sion took the lead on a counter-attack. The Yellows reacted well to the goal conceded and created two more chances before the end of the first half, one from Pape Gueye, with a shot that hit the post, and another from Altimira, who was playing as a winger.

With seven new faces on the pitch, the script of the game was very similar to the first half. The two wingers, Haissem Hassan and Yeremy Pino, were particularly inspired in the first 20 minutes of the second half, with Yeremy Pino playing a key role in the two goals to turn the result around: the first by Pape Gueye, one of the Yellow Submarine’s new signings, who changed his position in the minutes he played in the second half to form part of the front two in attack, and the second by Ramon Terrats arriving from deep, assisted by Arnau Solà two minutes after he came on.

As if that wasn’t enough, after three clear chances for Villarreal to score the third goal, Yeremy Pino himself converted a penalty, won by academy player Douga Fofana, to extend the lead on the scoreboard and seal Villarreal CF’s second match of the pre-season, which was the first win of the season.

The next pre-season match will be on Saturday 27th July at 4.30pm CEST against Saint-Étienne, and can be followed live on Villarreal CF Live.

Line-ups:

Villarreal CF:

• First half: Diego Conde (Iker Álvarez, 32’); Kiko Femenía, Bailly, Cuenca, Cardona; Pape Gueye, Comesaña, Altimira, Trigueros; Pau Cabanes (Víctor Moreno, 23’), Danjuma.
• Second half: Iker Álvarez (Jorgensen, 62’); Foyth, Albiol, Mandi, Cardona (Arnau Solà, 62’); Parejo, Terrats, Haissem, Pino; Pape Gueye (Alassane Diatta, 62’), Danjuma (Douga Fofana, 69’).