Villarreal come back against Rayo in a crucial match thanks to goals from Toko Ekambi (2) and Gerard
More than three points. Villarreal beat Rayo Vallecano at the Estadio de la Cerámica in a match where they had to come back after the opening Mario Suárez goal. They did it in a magic second half thanks to two goals from Karl Toko Ekambi and one from Gerard Moreno.
Javi Calleja once more backed Jaume Costa as a right wing-back. Up front, Samu Chukwueze and Vicente Iborra tried to give balls to Toko Ekambi. Manu Morlanes and Santi Cazorla played a bit deeper.
With 15 minutes gone, Jaume Costa suffered an injury, having to be replaced by Miguelón.
The side from Madrid went ahead from a set piece. Suárez headed home after a short corner.
Villarreal were finding it hard to take control of the game early on, although they grew into the game and started to threaten Stole Dimitrievski. The clearest chance went to Chukwueze, who was stretching to get on the end of a cross from the left from Alfonso Pedraza. The Rayo goalkeeper was able to keep it out without too much difficulty.
The start of the second half was spectacular for the Yellows. Villarreal came back from a one-nil deficit to score two goal in two magic minutes. First Toko Ekambi equalised after the ball deflected off a Rayo defender and into his path to slot home at the back post. Then, just two minutes later, Toko Ekambi struck again to make it 2-1 and the Estadio de la Cerámica erupted. For the Yellows’ second, Iborra played a fantastic through ball to Toko Ekambi and the number ‘17’ placed the ball perfectly in the near bottom corner. His first touch was also spot on. Top class.
The Yellow Submarine had done the hard part. The Yellows had turned the score line around against an opposition that sat back to keep them at bay.
Calleja sentenced the match minutes before the final whistle. Morlanes orchestrated an inch-perfect through ball to Gerard, who controlled the ball perfectly to send him through one-on-one against Dimitrievski and made no mistake, slotting the ball around the Rayo keeper and into the far corner of the goal (3-1, m. 87). The crowd at the Estadio de la Cerámica went wild.
Next up for Villarreal will be a game against RC Celta Vigo on Saturday, 30th March, in another crucial match for the Yellows.
Lineups:
Villarreal CF: Asenjo; Álvaro, Funes Mori, Víctor Ruiz; Jaume Costa (Miguelón, m. 16), Iborra (Gerard, m. 66), Morlanes, Cazorla, Pedraza; Chukwueze (Fornals, m. 83), Toko Ekambi.
Rayo Vallecano: Dimitrievski; Advíncula (Embarba, m. 77), Velázquez (Medrán, m. 55), Gálvez, Amat, Álex Moreno; Bebé, Mario Suárez, Imbula (Pozo, m. 67), Álvaro; Raúl de Tomás.
Goals: 0-1. Min. 19: Mario Suárez. 1-1. Min. 49: Toko Ekambi. 2-1. Min. 51: Toko Ekambi. 3-1. Min. 87: Gerard.
Referee: González González. Booked: Funes Mori, Víctor Ruiz, Álvaro (Villarreal); Velázquez, Gálvez, Amat (Rayo Vallecano).
Matchday information: Match corresponding to LaLiga Matchday 28 at the Estadio de la Cerámica.
