RC Celta de Vigo forward Manuel “Nolito” Agudo scored in the 90th minute to snatch a 2-1 win at 10-man Villarreal and pull the visitors level with Real Madrid and Barcelona at the top of La Liga on Sunday.
Nolito and attacking midfielder Fabian Orellana kept Celta unbeaten through eight rounds after each scored a goal and hit the woodwork in an attractive clash between the two of the league’s best passing teams at El Madrigal.
Nolito, who has been linked with a move to Barcelona during the winter transfer window, got the winner from a rebound after Orellana’s shot came off the post.
Photo: AFP
Nolito’s sixth goal of the season left him level with Real stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, and two goals behind Neymar.
Celta’s victory saw Real remain atop of La Liga on goal-difference. Celta are second, followed by Barcelona in third.
“We think we can beat anyone, that we can go to any ground and show that we can win because we are a solid team that works hard and is dangerous,” Celta coach Eduardo Berizzo said.
Villarreal, who entered the round in first place, fell all the way to fifth, two points off the pace.
Atletico Madrid moved into fourth on goal-difference with a 2-0 win at Real Sociedad, who have just one win this season.
RC Deportivo de La Coruna scored twice in the final minutes to fight back to 2-2 against Athletic Bilbao to remain in sixth, while Getafe eased to a 4-0 victory over 10-man UD Las Palmas.
Villarreal dominated possession for the first 25 minutes until Nolito tilted the action the other way by making his first incursions into the area.
Orellana put Celta in front with a great long-range strike after Villarreal’s defense failed to close on him before he could unleash a curling shot around outstretched goalkeeper Alphonse Areola.
Celta went close to a second goal when Nolito hit the upright in the 45th minute. Iago Aspas then squandered a clever move by Nolito and Orellana, with Villarreal playing with 10 men after defender Eric Bailly picked up a second booking for clumsily handling the ball two minutes after halftime.
Substitute Denis Suarez leveled for Villarreal against the flow of play with a deflected shot in the 67th minute, but, just as the match was heading for a draw, Nolito smashed home a loose ball after Orellana’s last-gasp effort clipped the post.
“We made mistakes that you just cannot make,” Villarreal coach Marcelino Garcia said.
Antoine Griezmann earned the applause of his former fans at Sociedad when he was substituted late in the match, despite his audacious goal to give Atletico the lead in the ninth minute.
The France forward quickly dribbled past three defenders before coolly chipping the ball over goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli for a great goal that he did not celebrate out of respect for his previous club.
Sociedad saw Diego Reyes sent off with two bookings in the last minute before Yannick Carrasco raced forward to score Atletico’s second goal in stoppage-time.
Sociedad added to its own misery when Jonathas got a second yellow card for protesting before the final whistle.
Bilbao seemed to be in complete control after Inaki Williams and Aritz Aduriz gave them a two-goal lead, but Lucas Perez sparked Deportivo’s comeback with a sweeping volley in the 80th minute and Alejandro Arribas headed in the equalizer a minute from time.
Victor Rodriguez and Pablo Sarabia gave Getafe a two-goal lead by the 11th minute, and substitute Stefan Scepovic rounded off the victory with two goals after Juan Culio’s reckless tackle on Sarabia earned him a straight red card in the 80th minute.
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