Villarreal resolved the duel with a forcefulness inappropriate for a confrontation between European contenders. In just half an hour, the Castellón team left the match practically sealed with a 3-0 that faithfully reflected what happened on the pitch: superiority, rhythm and an offensive fluidity that completely overwhelmed the San Sebastian team.
3
Luiz Júnior, Renato Veiga, Santiago Mouriño, Pau Navarro, Alfonso Pedraza, Alberto Moleiro (Alfon González, min. 73), Nicolas Pépé, Santi Comesaña (Thomas Partey, min. 88), Pape Gueye (Dani Parejo, min. 88), Gerard Moreno (Tajon Buchanan, min. 73) and Georges Mikautadze (Tani Oluwaseyi, min. 88)
1
Álex Remiro, Igor Zubeldia (Duje Caleta-Car, min. 53), Sergio Gómez, Jon Aramburu (Aritz Elustondo, min. 67), Jon Martín, Gonçalo Guedes, Jon Gorrotxategi (Luka Sucic, min. 45), Ander Barrenetxea, Carlos Soler, Mikel Oyarzabal (Arsen Zakharyan, min. 81) and Brais Méndez (Orri Óskarsson, min. 67)
Goals
1-0 min. 6: Gerard Moreno. 2-0 min. 14: Georges Mikautadze. 3-0 min. 22: Nicolas Pepe. 3-1 min. 46: Luka Sucic
Referee Miguel Angel Ortiz Arias
yellow cards
Jon Aramburu (min. 37), Gonçalo Guedes (min. 77), Matarazzo (min. 84)
The first blow came early, in the 7th minute, when Gerard Moreno rose in the area to head a measured cross into the net, opening a crack that Real could not close. Villarreal, far from temporizing, maintained high pressure and agile circulation, finding spaces with astonishing ease. The 2-0 was the work of Georges Mikautadze, who completed a collective play that showed the visitor’s defensive disorganization. Without time to react, Real suffered another blow: Nicolas Pépé signed the third with an accurate shot that ended up dismantling any attempt at resistance.
after the break. A goal from Sučić right at the start of the second half momentarily restored tension to the match, but it was a mirage. The blue and white team took a step forward, yes, but without the necessary clarity to really worry Villarreal. In fact, the clearest chances continued to fall on the local side. Mikautadze was the most incisive attacker throughout the match and only the interventions of Álex Remiro prevented the score from reaching even more severe heights.
In short, Villarreal’s superiority was as evident as it was incontestable in a duel that Real Sociedad had pointed out as a strategic opportunity to take a giant step in their European aspirations. But La Cerámica once again made a difference: the Castellón team, which already has 37 points at home – the third best record in the championship -, turned its stadium into an unapproachable stage, imposing rhythm, precision and punch from the start and deactivating any visitor attempt to keep up the pace.
