Villarreal net last-gasp winner against Real Sociedad to move two points off LaLiga summit
Following a goal and assist combo from Ayoze Pérez, Alberto Moleiro scored a 95th-minute winner as Villarreal staved off a late Real Sociedad fightback to run out 3-2 winners at the Reale Arena, with a fifth successive La Liga victory keeping them right in the thick of the title race.
Hardly an inch was given in the opening exchanges, with the best chance of a combative, stoppage-strewn opening half-hour falling to Takefusa Kubo, who found himself with an opportunity to fire towards the bottom-right corner, only for Luiz Júnior to pull off a fine save and preserve parity.
Just a minute later, Umar Sadiq then fired wide when through on goal, as the Villarreal keeper closed him down quickly.
Given his earlier miss, it was not without a cruel sense of irony that Kubo contributed to Villarreal’s opener on 33’.
His misjudged ball to Brais Méndez on a breakaway handed over possession, and after Kubo then saw his attempted clearance intercepted by Santi Comesaña, Villarreal’s own #14 found Tajon Buchanan on the left flank. The Canadian burst away and played in a pinpoint ball for Pérez to convert at the far post.
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Just prior to half time, Luiz Júnior stood tall on two more occasions, palming out an Aritz Elustondo header at the end of a rasping free-kick from Sergio Gómez, just before Méndez forced him into a stop at his near post.
That momentum didn’t continue immediately after half time though, and Villarreal doubled their lead on 57’ when a breakaway saw Pérez given the freedom to find Moleiro, and he fired into the top-left corner from the D.
Despite their predicament, Sociedad responded almost immediately, and halved the deficit when Kubo took advantage of a botched clearance from the area, intercepting the ball and finding Carlos Soler, who fired into the top-left corner of the Villarreal net to put the hosts back into contention.
And with newfound momentum, La Real almost regained parity at the three-quarter mark, when Gonçalo Guedes’ strike to the top-right corner forced Luiz Júnior into a full-stretch save.
Sociedad fought valiantly to the end, and with just five minutes of the 90 remaining, Ander Barrenetxea fired a beautiful free-kick into the same corner that Soler found.
Sociedad celebrate their equaliserPhoto by ANDER GILLENEA / AFP
But still the drama was not over, and with just two minutes of added time remaining, Moleiro smashed in low from the corner of the box after a botched corner clearance, moving Villarreal back within two points of leaders Barcelona.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Ayoze Pérez (Villarreal)
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