Europa League

Villarreal 3 – Astana 1

Villarreal: Barbosa; Mario, Rubén Semedo, Bonera, Jaume Costa; Samu Castillejo (Leo Suárez 87’), Trigueros, Rodri, Pablo Fornals (Cheryshev 74’); Enes Ünal, Sansone (Bakambu 70’). 4-4-2.
Astana: Nenad Eric; Postnikov, Logvinenko, Anicic, Shomko; Beysebekov (Tagybergen 87’), Maevski, Grahovac, Muzhikov (Shitov 83’); Twumasi, Murtazayev (Tomasov 67’). 4-4-2.

Goals:
1-0. 16. Sansone. Picked up Costa centre and steered angled shot under keeper.
1-1. 68. Logvinenko. Ran in to head Twumasi corner past Barbosa from near post.
2-1. 76. Bakambu. Picked himself up after tackle and cut across to shoot past Eric.
3-1. 77. Cheryshev. Got on the end of Rodri cross to turn ball in from close to goal.

Yellow cards: Logvinenko 57’, Anicic 71’, Mario 88’.

A 3-1 win for Villarreal against Astana in their opening Europa League game, although the visitors put up a good fight before two late goals finally settled it for the locals. Sansone latched on to a Jaume Costa through ball to open the scoring early on, and Eric had to keep out Samu Castillejo and Sansone again before the break. Barbosa was tested a couple of times at the other end though, and midway through the second half Logvinenko headed the equaliser from a Twumasi corner. However substitutes Bakambu and Cheryshev came on to score twice after that, the former after picking himself up from a tackle to run on and shoot across the keeper, and the latter (in his first appearance after a long injury lay-off) after Rodri crossed in from the right.