Malaga
Villarreal
Match summary
Villarreal came from behind to win 3-1 away at Malaga. Villarreal led 2-1 at half-time.
In the first half, Carlos Dotor put Malaga ahead in the 12th minute, set up by Juan Cruz, Alberto Moleiro equalised in the 40th minute, set up by Ilias Akhomach, and Pape Alassane Gueye put Villarreal in front in first-half stoppage time, set up by Ayoze Pérez. In the second half, Gueye made it 1-3 from the penalty spot in the 86th minute.
The chances backed that up: Villarreal created 4.25 expected goals (xG) from 16 shots to Malaga's 0.36 from 5.
Villarreal secured a comfortable away victory against Malaga on matchday six of La Liga, dominating the proceedings with sixty-three percent possession and one hundred and twenty-four attacks. The visitors generated sixteen shots compared to just five from the hosts, registering seven efforts on target against one and accumulating an expected goals total of 4.25 to Malaga's 0.36. Villarreal also led significantly in corners, dangerous attacks, pass accuracy, and overall passes. The match was characterised by heavy discipline from the home side, who committed seventeen fouls and collected five yellow cards, while Villarreal received only one yellow card.
Malaga opened the scoring in the twelfth minute through a right-footed shot from Carlos Dotor. Villarreal responded before the interval when Alberto Moleiro equalised with a right-footed shot in the fortieth minute, followed by a left-footed goal from Pape Gueye in added time to make it one-two at half-time. In the second half, following a VAR review, Pape Gueye scored a penalty in the eighty-sixth minute to seal the three-one victory for Villarreal. Bookings were distributed throughout the encounter, including yellow cards for José Salinas, Ilias Akhomach, David Larrubia, Einar Galilea, Ramón Enríquez, and Alfonso Herrero.
