Villarreal 4-3 Celta Vigo
Villarreal remained unbeaten on Monday night in the first game of the third round of La Liga, and will sleep at the top of the table after a lungbusting but brilliant clash against Celta Vigo.
The visitors started strongest, with Alfon getting in behind, and rounding Diego Conde, but seeing his shot saved on the line. Borja Iglesias was on hand to get his first goal back at Celta on his first start though.
The Yellow Submarine wasted no time in imposing themselves for the next ten minutes, with Alex Baena seeing his effort well saved by Ivan Villar. He could do nothing about Gerard Moreno’s flick-on and Sergi Cardona’s tap-in at the back post though from a corner. Just five minutes later, Oscar Mingueza rasped home a free-kick from all of thirty yards in off the post.
Going into the break Villarreal might have felt harshly done by, and as they probed for the equaliser, Marcelino Garcia Toral sent new signing Thierno Barry on up front just before the hour mark. He took a single minute to meet Cardona’s cross and equalise. Moments later, Nicolas Pepe’s ball across the face of goal was turned into his own net.
Mingueza has started the season ON FIRE for Celta. 🔥🩵 pic.twitter.com/uTlEPiIeDs
— LALIGA English (@LaLigaEN) August 26, 2024
A short lull saw hostilities resumed with just 10 minutes to go though. Mingueza went toe-to-toe with Cardona for the creative full-back medal, curling a ball in for Carl Starfelt to make ammends for losing Barry on his goal. Santi Comesana then had a goal disallowed for a minimal offside, but Celta were unlucky not to win it.
With Villarreal going for the winner, caution was lost in the wind, and Celta pierced the defensive line on multiple occasions. Anastasios Douvikas fired off the inside of the post, before Williot Swedberg escaped in behind twice with one-on-ones to grab their fourth. On both occasions though, first with an arm out to his right, and second with a big left foot, Conde kept Celta out.
NOSOTROS TAMBIÉN SOMOS MUY CONTENTOS, THIERNO 🤪 pic.twitter.com/VClUYM9CMo
— Villarreal CF (@VillarrealCF) August 26, 2024
His contributions were decisive, before in the 96th minute, Hugo Alvarez dragged down Barry by the shorts, a foul which finished in the box. Dani Parejo stepped up to see his penalty saved by Villar, but he got to the rebound to convert the winner in the 100th minute.
A thrilling game with plenty for both managers to smile about, but Claudio Giraldez will be lamenting looking for some hair to tear out. Neither will be pleased with their defensive efforts, but as a general team assessment, both looked to be headed in the right direction.
“Hugo Alvarez dragged down Barry by the shorts, a foul which finished in the box.”
Exactly, the “holding” foul was committed outside the box and the player dove to the ground once he was inside the box. The referee correctly ruled it should have resulted in a free-kick from outside the 18. Instead VAR over-ruled the referee and awarded a penalty with no time remaining on extra time.