Villarreal on Monday beat RCD Espanyol 4-1 in La Liga, drawing them level on points with third-placed Atletico Madrid.
Goals by Georges Mikautadze, Nicolas Pepe and Alberto Moleiro, bolstered by an own-goal by Jose Salinas, brought the Yellow Submarine to 45 points, but Leandro Cabrera’s late consolation goal for the visitors stopped Villarreal leapfrogging Atletico into third place.
Atletico lost to Real Betis Balompie on Sunday, offering Villarreal the chance to close the gap. The Rojiblancos still remain in third place with a superior goal-difference of just one compared with Villarreal, but the chasers boast a game in hand on Diego Simeone’s side.
Photo: EPA
A fourth consecutive defeat for Espanyol meant the Catalans trail fifth-placed Betis by four points, but are still in position to qualify for the UEFA Conference League — albeit with just a one-point lead on chasing RC Celta de Vigo.
Georgian forward Mikautadze opened the scoring on 35 minutes with an acrobatic swiveling volley from close range after Tajon Buchanan’s knock-down.
Villarreal doubled their lead three minutes before halftime when Salinas turned Moleiro’s square-ball into his own net.
Pepe made it three less than five minutes into the second half when he danced past a challenge on the edge of the penalty area and rifled low across the goalkeeper with his left foot.
Moleiro then got in on the act in the 55th minute with a fine curling finish after he found himself in space in the Espanyol penalty area at the end of a swift break forward.
Cabrera pulled one back for Espanyol in the 88th minute with a glancing header from a corner, but it was too little, too late as Manolo Gonzalez’s side continue to flounder.
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