The Yellow Submarine managed to defeat the Espanyol side with a solid performance in the 12th round of La Liga on Saturday. Gerard Moreno opened the scoring in the 42nd minute of the first half, providing Villarreal with a crucial lead. The match was ultimately settled in the 56th minute when Alberto Moleiro found the back of the net, overcoming the opposing goalkeeper.
Santi Comesaña shone throughout the match, completing 45 successful passes, demonstrating his influence on the game. Gerard Moreno was another standout player, not only scoring a goal but also executing three shots and making 12 accurate passes.
Espanyol’s head coach, José González Álvarez, deployed a 4-4-2 formation with Marko Dmitrovic guarding the net, supported by defenders Omar el Hilali, Fernando Calero, Leandro Cabrera, and José Salinas. In midfield were Tyrhys Dolan, Urko Gonzalez, Pol Lozano, and Pere Milla, while Edu Expósito and Roberto Fernández led the attack.
In contrast, Villarreal, managed by Marcelino García Toral, also opted for a 4-4-2 setup, featuring Luiz Júnior in goal. The defensive line consisted of Pau Navarro, Rafa Marín, Renato Veiga, and Alfonso Pedraza. The midfield players were Tajon Buchanan, Santi Comesaña, Thomas Partey, and Alberto Moleiro, with Gerard Moreno and Tani Oluwaseyi upfront.
Referee Alejandro Hernández Hernández oversaw the match’s proceedings.
Looking ahead, Espanyol will host Sevilla, while Villarreal will take on Mallorca at home in their upcoming fixtures. As it stands, Villarreal occupies the sixth position in the league with 18 points, while Espanyol remains in second place with 26 points.
Substitutions for Espanyol
59’ 2nd Half – Pol Lozano was substituted for Kike García
70’ 2nd Half – Edu Expósito made way for Jofre Carreras, Pere Milla was replaced by Charles Pickel, and Gerard Moreno came off for Nicolas Pépé
81’ 2nd Half – Omar el Hilali was substituted by Rubén Sánchez, and Urko Gonzalez was replaced by Miguel Rubio
Substitutions for Villarreal
73’ 2nd Half – Santi Comesaña was replaced by Pape Gueye, and Tani Oluwaseyi came off for Ayoze Pérez
82’ 2nd Half – Tajon Buchanan was substituted for Ilias Akhomach, while Alberto Moleiro made way for Sergi Cardona
Yellow Cards for Villarreal:
15’ 2nd Half – Tajon Buchanan (Unsportsmanlike conduct)
35’ 2nd Half – Pau Navarro (Unsportsmanlike conduct)