Perez scores late winner for high-flying Villarreal against Valldolid in LaLiga
Clearly still on a high after ending a run of three straight defeats with a 3-2 win against Alaves last time out, Real Valladolid started on the front foot. And they were left feeling a little hard done by early on, when they felt a Raúl Albion handball should’ve produced a penalty.
For all their early pressure, however, Valladolid came unstuck midway through the first half.
There was an element of simplicity around their opener too, as a wicked Kiko Femenia delivery was guided home by Thierno Barry, who rose highest in the box to head home his third goal of the season.
The game could soon have been out of sight for the hosts though, who had Karl Hein to thank for a fine save to prevent Nicolas Pepe from doubling the visitors' advantage.
The second half brought around more of the same kind of pressure, and if Barry flashing an effort over the bar wasn’t a warning sign that Villarreal were close to putting the game beyond their hosts, then Alex Baena’s effort that rattled the post moments earlier certainly was.
They were left to rue those missed opportunities just moments later, when a lapse in concentration saw Logan Costa fell Mamadou Sylla in the area, and the Valladolid frontman dusted himself off to level the scores from the spot.
That equaliser seemed to be a harsh wake-up call for Villarreal, who sprung back into life in a bid to nose back ahead.
It was substitute Pape Gueye who came close to that instant response when he forced Hein into a smart save to keep the hosts on level terms.
But the telling moment eventually arrived a little over five minutes from time, when the hosts failed to heed the earlier warning signs, and Ayoze Perez headed home Baena’s delivery at the far post, netting what proved to be the winner and securing the visitors a fifth win in the last eight meetings.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Alex Baena (Villarreal)