Cazorla 2-0
Villareal cruise into second spot
The Yellow Submarines took full advantage of Barcelona’s stalemate against Espanyol 24 hours ago to record a 2-0 win over Real Valladolid at El Madrigal to regain second spot in the standings.
Nihat and Santi Cazorla scored either side of the break to keep Villarreal’s chances alive of finishing the season as the league’s runners-up and thus
confirm automatic qualification into the Champions League proper next term.
First Half
It was Valladolid who made the more positive start as they went in search of that always pivotal early goal. Veteran forward Víctor took just two minutes to rattle off a hopeful shot from distance as he looked to test the rustiness of second choice keeper Sebastián Viera who was standing in for the suspended Diego López.
The visitors proceeded to pummel the Villarreal goal in a frantic four minute spell. First, Llorente’s centre from the left was met by an unmarked Sisi, who’s weak header was easily gathered by Viera.
A minute later, Sisi then tried his luck on the ground, curling in a left footed shot from 20 yards out but Viera saw it coming and again made an easy catch.
Then, miscommunication between Capdevila and Viera allowed Llorente to latch on to a long ball from defence and the Valladolid forward cleverly rounded the Uruguayan keeper outside the box to take the ball to the byline but Viera raced back to make a fullback-style sliding challenge to block an attempted cross.
Barely a minute after that, the Sisi-Llorente combination unlocked the home defence again as the young winger’s searching cross from the right to the far post found the target man, who slid in to connect but could not direct it on target.
But, as has been the case so often this season, Villarreal took the lead completely against the run of play on 15 minutes in what was literally their first shot at goal. Nihat picked up a through ball from Santi Cazorla and shimmed past Alexis in the box before rifling an angled shot past Sergio Asenjo.
The goal lifted the El Madrigal aficionados but it didn’t dampen Valladolid’s spirits. They continued their assault and in the 21st minute, an in-swinging corner from Sisi forced an alert Viera to tip the ball over the bar.
The hosts didn’t get a glimpse of the visiting goal again until the 34th minute when Robert Pirès skipped down the left channel, cut into the middle and curled in a shot towards the top corner of the goal but Asenjo was well positioned to make a comfortable save.
Five minutes from half time, Manuel Pellegrini’s side almost doubled their advantage when Giuseppe Rossi and Nihat traded passes to breach the Pucela defence as the Turkish international rounded Asenjo but had the ball nicked off his feet by Óscar Sánchez just as he was about to pull the trigger.
Villarreal ended the half strongly when a minute into injury time, Nihat cannoned in a fierce, swerving freekick from 20 yards out but the ball just shaved the top of the bar.
Second Half
But what Pellegrini’s men couldn’t accomplish in the closing stages of the first period, they did forty five seconds into the second as they finally found their second goal. Nihat caught the Valladolid defence napping when he charged down the left flank and squared a cross to Cazorla who coolly sidefooted the ball into the empty net.
Five minutes later, Rossi almost got himself onto the scoresheet. The Blanquivioletas’ backline was caught off guard again as the young Italian ghosted in into the box down the left channel but his shot from a tight angle was easily dealt with by Asenjo.
It took José Luis Mendilibar’s side until the hour mark before they had another look-in at goal. Pedro López hammered in a low drive from 25 yards and Álvaro Rubio tried to deflect it in but he just couldn’t steer it on target.
Rossi then had another chance in the 63rd minute when he as released by Joan Capdevila down the left but thumped a left footed missile against the side netting. A minute later, Javi Venta’s speculative shot brought out a fine save from Asenjo, before Víctor blazed a free volley at the other end over the bar from a Sisi cross.
Valladolid, to their credit, continued to create chances and the best one came on 71 minutes but Llorente spurned the glorious opportunity to haul his side back into the game. Óscar Sánchez drilled in a cross from the left for Llorente to slide in at the far post but he stabbed his low volley wide from close range despite being unchallenged and unmarked.
Villarreal had a few chances themselves to make it three in the closing stages of the game. First, Marcos Senna saw his left footed strike on the edge of the area parried away by Asenjo, before Nihat crashed a delightful curling freekick against the outside of the crossbar five minutes from time. Substitute Cani then attempted an audacious 40 yard shot after spotting Asenjo off his line and although it didn’t ripple the back of the net, he did come awfully close.
That would have been the perfect icing on the cake but Pellegrini, as well as the home fans, were more than happy with the well-earned three points to take them back up into second place, one point ahead of Barcelona.
LINE-UPS
Villarreal (4-4-2): Viera – Venta, Gonzalo, Godín, Capdevila – Cazorla, Senna (Bruno 85’), Eguren, Pirès (Cani 74’) – Nihat, Rossi (Matí Fernández 64’)
Unused subs: Josico, Cygan, Ángel, Juan Carlos
Real Valladolid (4-2-3-1): Asenjo – Pedro López (Aguirre 75’), Baraja, Alexis, Óscar Sánchez – Rubio, Borja (Dorado 55’) – Sisi, Víctor, Sesma (Ogbeche 55’) – Llorente
Unused subs: Camacho, Marcos, Rafa, Alberto
GOALS
1-0: Villarreal (Nihat 15’)
2-0: Villarreal (Cazorla 46’)
BOOKINGS
Villarreal: Javi Venta (53’), Bruno (88’)
Real Valladolid: Pedro López (45’), Óscar Sánchez (84’)
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