Villarreal start off the new year on the right foot beating Levante at the Estadio de la Cerámica
The best way to kick off to 2021. Villarreal started off the new year on the right foot by beating Levante with goals by Fer Niño and Gerard Moreno at the Estadio de la Cerámica. Sergio León pulled one back for the visitors in the second half (2-1).
Unai Emery set up with a strong starting eleven; Parejo, Trigueros and Moi Gómez making up a creative midfield line. Up front, youngsters Yeremy Pino and Fer Niño started alongside top scorer Gerard.
Villarreal dominated possession while Levante pressed high looking to pounce on a mistake as the Yellows played out from the back.
The home side broke the deadlock early on, in the 18th minute. Trigueros played a through ball to the left wing and Pedraza sent in a driven ball across the face of goal met by Fer Niño at the back post. The youngster tapped the ball home in what was a classic centre-forward goal. The Yellows No.34 was right where he needed to be.
Levante had the chance to equalise just before the break. The visitors’ clearest chance came from a Coke free-kick but Asenjo made a fine diving save to keep the ‘granotas’ at bay.
Unai Emery made two changes at the break. Foyth and Chukwueze came on for Yeremy and Fer Niño. Gerard moved forward to play as a 9. And that’s where he got his goal. Chukwueze got free down the right wing and set up Gerard, who was about to take a shot with the outside of his left boot but changed his mind at the last moment and used the inside of his right foot to tuck the ball into the near bottom corner. Unstoppable (2-0, m. 54).
Ten minutes later the Yellows had their clearest chance of the game to go three clear. Parejo nicked the bll back on the edge of the Levante box and was through on goal, one-on-one against Aitor and he passed left to Gerard to gift him the goal. However the Levante keeper got across to block his strike. Such a clear chance.
Levante pulled one back in the 73rd minute. Sergio León, who had just came on, scored with a header from a cross from the right wing (2-1). The ‘granotas’ gritted their teeth.
Villarreal used counterattacks to try to sentence the game. Gerard came close to making it 3-1 with his effort hitting the post. A matter of centimetres.
It was a tense end to the derby, but the scoreline didn’t budge. Welcome, 2021!
Villarreal’s next match is in the Copa del Rey against Zamora CF (Tuesday, 7pm CET).
Lineups:
Villarreal CF: Asenjo; Rubén Peña, Albiol, Pau, Pedraza (Jaume Costa, m. 76); Trigueros, Parejo, Moi Gómez (Estupiñán, m. 67); Gerard, Fer Niño (Foyth, m. 46) and Yeremy (Chukwueze, m. 46).
Levante UD: Aitor; Son, Coke (De Frutos, m. 63), Óscar Duarte, Toño (Miramón, m. 69); Rochina (Malsa, m. 29), Radoja, Melero (Morales, m. 63), Clerc; Dani Gómez (Sergio León, m. 69) and Roger.
Goals: 1-0. Min. 18: Fer Niño. 2-0. Min. 54: Gerard. 2-1. Min. 73: Sergio León.
Referee: González Fuertes (C. Asturiano). Booked: Yeremy for Villarreal and Malsa for Levante.
Information: Match corresponding to LaLiga Matchday 17 played at the Estadio de la Cerámica.
