He Villarreal confirmed the progression experienced since Marcelino García arrived on the bench with a suffered victory against Panathinaikos (3-2) which ensures, with two games still to play, qualification for the second phase of the Europa League.
The Castellón team, which was not able to control the match due to its defensive insecurity despite leading 3-0 at the start of the second half, will play for first place in the group on its visit to Rennes, provided it overcomes next week in La Cerámica to a hopeless Maccabi Haifa in a match that was postponed in its day.
Marcelino’s team, knowing that they were one victory away from qualifying, had a excellent performance against Panathinaikosalso forced to win to stay alive in the competition.
Villarreal took possession of the ball and from the first moment he looked for a goal that Comesaña almost achieved with a header.
The dominance of the Castellón team was overwhelming, but a shot by Rubén Pérez, saved with reflexes by Reina, led to a phase of doubts.
Panathinaikos emboldened and for a quarter of an hour the game seemed to tilt towards the Villarreal area, which once again had old defensive ghosts and doubts about getting the ball.
Morales got rid of the Greek dominance with a long shot, but the one who definitively unraveled the match was Ilias Amokach, who after a great personal action on the wing assisted Baena into space so that the Almeria native beat the Helena goal on his way out with a subtle touch.
That cut is VERY PLAYFUL ????.
How wonderful, Santi. #UEL #LaCasaDelFútbol @VillarrealCF pic.twitter.com/6wLkNcgk1j— Football on Movistar Plus+ (@MovistarFutbol) November 30, 2023
The goal launched Villarreal, who did not let his rival get off the canvas. Just five minutes later, and on the other side, Morales overwhelmed the defense and gave the ball to the crescent of the area so that Comesaña, after a perfect break, lodged it in the corner with a great shot.
Panathinaikos finally collapsed and Villarreal at times recovered its memory and football that has characterized him in recent years.
With Parejo at the controls, Marcelino’s team turned the field into a great rondo and gave themselves to positional and touch play to the satisfaction of their fans.
Only Rubén Pérez dared, once again, to break the monologue with an attempt to surprise Reina from midfield that was unsuccessful.
He Panathinaikos took a risk at the start of the second halfbut his daring was blown up after two minutes, when Baena penalized a defensive error to give the ball to Morales and for the Madrid native, as he pleased, to prolong his love affair with the goal.
Villarreal, who found themselves with a comfortable lead, were confident and gave the ball to the Greek team, who He never lowered his arms despite the distance on the scoreboard.
Aitor Cantalapiedra threatened with a goal disallowed at the request of the VAR and shortly after it was Palacios who beat Reina after picking up the rebound from a missed penalty shot by Ioannidis.
Immediately afterwards, Aitor Cantalapiedra had the opportunity to put his team fully into the fight for points with a shot into an empty goal that he sent wide.
Marcelino entered the scene and tried to stop the inertia of the game with the changes, but the Panathinaikos did not relax and reduced the gap again through Ioannidis ten minutes from the end.
Villarreal, despite the defensive nerves, knew how to withstand the Greek attacks and had several opportunities to avoid the final suffering, but goalkeeper Brignoli avoided it with great saves from shots by Gerard Moreno, Alberto Moreno and Brereton.
2023-11-30 22:22:32
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