First Division - Day 29

Sevilla 4 - Villarreal 2

Sevilla: Sergio Rico; Mariano, Rami, Carriço, Trémoulinas; Iborra (Escudero 74‘), N’Zonzi (Cristóforo 17‘); Krohn-Dehli, Banega, Konoplyanka (Reyes 69‘); Gameiro. 4-2-3-1.
Villarreal: Areola; Mario, Bonera, Víctor Ruíz, Erik Bailly (Samu Castillejo 46‘); Rukavina, Tomás Pina, Bruno, Denis Suárez; Bakambu, Adrián López (Leo Baptistao 69‘). 4-4-2.

Goals:
1-0. 23. Iborra. Turned ball in from close to goal after Gameiro passed across area.
1-1. 29. Bakambu. Fired low shot past Rico after Rukavina cross deflected to him.
1-2. 37. Bakambu. First time volley across Rico from lofted Adrián López pass.
2-2. 51. Víctor Ruíz (own goal). Slid Konoplyanka cross in to net trying to clear.
3-2. 64. Konoplyanka. Cut in from left wing and struck long shot over Areola.
4-2. 91. Reyes. Scored on the follow up after keeper blocked shot from Gameiro.

Yellow cards: Banega 05’, 79’, Bonera 24’, Krohn-Dehli 73’ / red cards: Banega 79’.

Fourth placed Villarreal ended the weekend ten points adrift of Real Madrid after they lost 4-2 at Sevilla on Sunday evening. Iborra got on the end of Gameiro’s assist to give the Andalusians the lead midway through the first half, but Bakambu struck twice before the break to turn the scoreline around, the first after Rukavina’s cross fell to him, and the second with an impressive volley from Adrián López’s lofted pass. However Víctor Ruíz turned a Konoplyanka cross into his own net soon after the restart to level the scores again, and Konoplyanka beat Areola with a shot from outside of the area a few minutes later to put the locals back in front. With ten minutes to go Emery’s side were left with ten men when Banega picked up a second booking, but Reyes wrapped things up in injury time to give the Andalusians their sixteenth straight home win, closing the gap on their opponents to five points, and securing the head-to-head advantage over Marcelino’s side into the bargain.