Villarreal Women beat Sporting Huelva with goals from Reiss and Kanteh
Villarreal Women emerged victorious from their important match in the search for survival against Sporting Huelva (2-0). Goals from Thaís Reiss in the first half and Fatou Kanteh in the second allowed the Yellows to get three points and move out of the relegation zone after Granada’s defeat by Levante UD. Sara Monforte’s side, one point above Granada, will now depend on themselves to stay in the division for another season.
Monforte’s side welcomed Sporting Huelva to the Mini Estadi at the José Manuel Llaneza Training Ground on Sunday evening. It was a game that could be considered like a final for the Yellows, who needed to take three points to reach the last day of the competition with a chance of staying in the division and, why not, depend on themselves to stay in Liga F for another season.
The game got underway very early for the Yellows, who, encouraged by the large crowd in the stands at the Mini Estadi, put pressure on Sporting Huelva in the opening minutes, looking for their first chance of the game.
And it was precisely in the first approach – it was the fourth minute of play – that the Yellows took the lead. Raquel Morcillo was on her way up the left flank and put a low ball into the six-yard box which Thaís Reiss, who was starting for the Submarine for the first time, controlled with her back to make it 1-0.
Sporting Huelva reacted to the yellow goal. In the ninth minute, Cristina Cubedo had to make a providential intervention, throwing herself to the ground to block a shot from a Huelva striker who was heading straight for goal. Also on the brink of half-time, the visitors had another chance with a twisting move inside the box that ended with a great save from Elena de Toro.
Villarreal were competing well. Sara Monforte’s side were managing to hold off the visitors and were playing more time in the opposition half than in their own half. That was the last great chance for the Yellows before the break. Similar to the first goal, although this time the assist was provided by Kanteh on the right flank, Reiss pivoted inside the box with the ball and, after turning, shot at goal, but Chelsea, the opposing goalkeeper, was alert to clear for a corner.
Equality was the dominant tone during the early stages of the second half. Sporting Huelva were intimidating Villarreal Women with their close calls, more by way of a feeling of being on the receiving end of a short scoreline than any real chances. Sara Monforte made the first change in the 54th minute with the introduction of Tere Morató for the scorer of the night, Thaís Reiss.
Just two minutes later the Yellows would extend their lead through Kanteh, who made no mistake inside the box against Chelsea with a superb chip past the keeper to make it 2-0.
Villarreal Women knew how to control the tempo of the game. With a comfortable result on the scoreboard, the yellows did not take any risks and retreated at the back to defend the result and prevent Sporting Huelva from scoring a goal that would put them right back in the match.
In the end, the Yellows took the win thanks to goals from Thaís Reiss and Fatou Kanteh, which takes them out of the relegation zone. The Yellows, one point above Granada CF, are depending on themselves to stay in the top flight of Spanish women’s football for another year. They will face Atlético de Madrid away, while Granada will visit Eibar.
