The Yellows beat Athletic Club thanks to goals from Pancha Lara, Llompart and McKenna
Villarreal Women overcame Athletic Club Women after a superb performance from the Yellows who, thanks to goals from Pancha Lara in the first half and goals from Llompart and McKenna in the second, picked up their first win of the season.
The match started in the best possible way for the Yellows. Pancha Lara, assisted by Fatou Kanteh, unleashed a spectacular left-footed shot from the edge of the area into the top corner to put Villarreal Women ahead.
Not much more happened in the remaining minutes of the first half due to the great work of the Yellows, who were able to defend with the ball, taking it from one side of the pitch to the other. The Basque side tried to get forward down the flanks with crosses that Elena de Toro easily dealt with.
In the 36th minute of the game Soldevila had a great chance to put more ground on the scoreboard after getting a header on a corner from Claudia Iglesias.
Villarreal Women went into the break ahead thanks to Pancha Lara’s goal in the third minute.
Athletic Club, who brought fresh legs onto the pitch with the introduction of Nerea Nevado, came into the game better at the start of the second half and enjoyed a great chance when one of their strikers shot from close range from just inside the six-yard box. Elena de Toro, with a formidable save, prevented the equaliser.
Villarreal improved as the minutes went by and again came close to the goal defended by Nanclares. In the 68th minute a spectacular triangulation between Kanteh, McKenna and Maria Llompart ended with the latter’s left-footed shot beating the visitors’ goal to make it 2-0.
The Yellows, far superior to their opponents, were enjoying themselves and were playing better and better football, which would end up giving them the definitive 3-0 lead. Kayla McKenna went one-on-one with Nanclares and, after getting away from her with a magnificent cutback, scored into an empty net to seal the game.
Athletic Club managed to score a goal, albeit an offside goal, and nothing could prevent Villarreal Women’s first win of the 2023/24 Liga F season.
Villarreal Women will be back in action on Saturday 21st October, when they take on SD Eibar at Ipurúa at 12pm CEST in the match corresponding to Matchday 6 of the 2023/24 Liga F season.
Lineups:
Villarreal Women: Elena de Toro; Nerea, C. Cubedo, Giménez, Raquel; M. Llompart, Soldevila, Claudia I., Kanteh ; F. Lara, McKenna.
Athletic Club Femenino: A. Nanclares; S. Ortega, M. Zubieta, Maddi, Gara (min. 55, Nerea Nevado); Mariana, Itxaso (, Sanadri (min. 12, Arana); Amezaga, Pinedo, Nahikari.
Goals: 1-0. Min. 4: F. Lara. 2-0. Min. 68: M. Llompart. 3-0. Min. 85: McKenna.
Referee: Elia María Martínez Martínez. Booked: Raquel, M. Llompart & Claudia I. (Villarreal); Gara (Athletic Club)
Matchday information: Match between Villarreal Women and Athletic Club Women, corresponding to Matchday 5 of the 2023/24 Liga F season at the Mini Estadi of the José Manuel Llaneza Training Ground.
