Villarreal took all three points on the road, with first half-goals from Ayoze Pérez and Thierno Barry boosting their UEFA Champions League aspirations against Getafe.
Former Newcastle United forward Pérez was the catalyst for both goals, as he scored and provided the assist for the match winner in a first half which saw plenty of action in central Spain.
Pérez gave The Yellow Submarine an early lead, before Carles Pérez equalised for the hosts at the Estadio Coliseum. Barry then scored an excellent first time volley, which proved to be the winner in the 33rd minute as three subsequent strikes from the visitors were disallowed by the referee and VAR.
As it happened
UEFA Champions league hopefuls Villarreal took an early lead in the 15th minute with their first incisive attack of the game. Pérez provided a delicate flick out to Tajon Buchanan, who had the opportunity to strike across goal, but instead pulled the ball back to the man who played him in on goal. Pérez did the rest, and The Yellow Submarine were in front.
Getafe have their own European aspirations and responded by taking advantage of some sloppy play from Willy Kambwala in the 29th minute. The former Manchester United defender played himself into trouble when trying to play out from the back and Pérez took full advantage, nicking the ball away from the Frenchman and bending the ball beyond an outstretched Luiz Júnior.
Embed from Getty ImagesGetafe were not level for long, as the visitors retook the lead through a superb first-time volley from Barry following Pérez’s delicate clipped ball in-behind in the 33rd minute. That was not the end of the action, as Barry could have had a treble on another day as two more strikes were ruled out.
Barry tapped home from Perez’s cross but the linesman’s flag was raised only minutes after giving Villareal the lead. Replays showed that the forward was marginally onside, but the flag was raised for a supposed clip of Domingos Duarte’s ankles prior to knocking the ball into the net.
Getafe had a glorious chance to equalise once more, as Paraguayan Omar Alderete managed to lift his effort over the bar from close range after an in-swinging corner was knocked down to the unmarked defender.
In stoppage time, Barry was denied for the second time by the referee and VAR. Dani Parejo caused havoc for Duarte, who stretched to clear a long pass only for the ball to strike the French forward Barry, which left him one-on-one with David Soria. The Frenchman buried the opportunity however, upon review, it was determined the ball struck Barry’s arm and subsequently – for the second time in the match – the goal was disallowed.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe action slowed in the second half before Soria was called into making his first save of the match, as Pérez collected a pass in-behind before turning back into the area and spotting Álex Baena arriving late. He received the ball, shifted onto his right foot and forced Soria into action.
A horror pass from Luis Milla gave Baena the ball just outside the area, but the Spaniard blazed his effort high and wide of the target. That miss gave Azulones some hope. Substitute Peter González drifted in from the right-flank and whipped an effort goalward that called Luiz Júnior into action. The subsequent corner was met by another Getafe substitute in Álvaro Rodríguez, who sent his header just over the bar.
It was a second half which saw multiple chances fall to both sets of substitutes. Yeremy Pino couldn’t make sufficient contact from Pérez’s cross, the pass hitting his standing leg before kindly bouncing to Soria.
Embed from Getty ImagesMeanwhile, Luiz Júnior made a stunning reflex save down the other end to deny Borja Mayoral late, even with the added safety of the offside flag being raised.
In added time, for the third time in the match the referee disallowed another Villarreal goal, as Pino made his run too early before teeing up Parejo to drive the ball home. Getafe tried to build some pressure late on but could not find an equaliser as Marcelino’sYellow Submarine left the Estadio Coliseum with all three points.
Villarreal moved up to 47 points, only five behind the coveted Champions League position – currently occupied by Athletic Club – while Getafe remain 12th on 36 points.
The lineups
GET: Soria; Iglesias, Duarte, Alderete, Salguero; Dakonam; Pérez, Arambarri, Milla, Coba; Juanmi
VIL: Luiz Júnior; Navarro, Foyth, Kambwala, Cardona; Buchanan, Comesaña, Parejo, Baena; Pérez, Barry