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Villarreal logo
La Liga
Mar 8, 2015 at 6pm UK
 
Celta Vigo logo

4-1

dos Santos (41'), Musacchio (45'), Vietto (73'), Moreno (84')
FT(HT: 2-0)
Fernandez (50')

Live Commentary: Villarreal 4-1 Celta Vigo - as it happened

Follow Sports Mole's live coverage of the La Liga match between Villarreal and Celta Vigo.
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Villarreal have wrapped up an emphatic 4-1 win over Celta Vigo in La Liga this evening.

Giovani dos Santos and Mateo Musacchio scored just before half time to give the hosts the lead, before Augusto Fernandez brought Celta back into it early in the second half.

Luciano Vietto and Gerard Moreno sealed it for Villarreal late on though.

Read how all the action unfolded below.


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Good evening! It's half an hour until Villarreal get their match against Celta Vigo underway, looking to strengthen their hold on a place in the top six. Let's start with a look at the teams...

VILLARREAL STARTING XI: Asenjo, Musacchio, Dorado, Costa, Rukavina, Pina, Campbell, Gomez, Marcos, Dos Santos, Moreno

CELTA STARTING XI: Alvarez, Fontas, Gomez, Cabral, Mallo, Radoja, Jonny, Fernandez, Charles, Nolito, Orellana

VILLARREAL SUBSTITUTES: Carlos, Gaspar, Dos Santos, Vietto, Uche, Trigueros, Cheryshev

CELTA SUBSTITUTES: Blanco, Costas, Hernandez, Bonganda, Mina, Lopez, Larrivey

The hosts have made a string of changes to their side following their exit from the Copa del Rey earlier this week. Gerard Moreno is preferred to Ikechukwu Uche up front, while Sergio Marcos and Joel Campbell also come in.

There's no Michael Krohn-Daelhi for the visitors tonight. The midfielder scored the only goal in their 1-1 draw with Elche earlier this week, but also conceded the penalty that allowed their opponents to equalise. He's replaced by Sergio Gomez in the starting lineup, while Fabian Orellana and Nolito continue up front.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Villarreal coach Marcelino said: "We have to show that we are growing in maturity but obviously it's not going to be easy after such an intense week against Salzburg, Madrid and Barcelona. It would be a huge error to think that the Celta game is not of the same importance. It's a very important game because we go into it after losing at home and it would be great to win again. We need to have maximum concentration in this game."

Meanwhile, Eduardo Berizzo said at his media briefing: "They're a team who play very well, with a great squad and a very clear idea about the way they play. We'll need to be very well organised, strong in one on one situations and not allow them to dominate with their circulation of the ball. To do that,we'll need to be very aggressive, not only physically, but also mentally."

Regardless of this evening's result, Villarreal will remain sixth in the table, but they can close the gap between themselves and fifth-placed Sevilla to a single point. A win for Celta tonight will move them up to eighth.

Here's the home squad heading out for their warmup a short time ago:


PREDICTION! As the players head out ready for kickoff, there's just time for a quick prediction. Villarreal are higher in the table, but Celta have been in stronger form recently, so I think this could be a closely-matched, so I'm going for a 2-2 draw.

KICKOFF! Celta get the match underway!

PENALTY APPEAL! Joel Campbell wants an early penalty as he's clattered by Orellana while trying to get an early cross in. The on-loan Arsenal man ends up getting shoved into the ad hoardings, but the referee isn't interested in his shouts.

Celta keep the ball at the back before Sergio Gomez launches it deep for Fernandez, but there's to much on the ball, and it goes straight out the back for a goal kick. The visitors quickly win it back, with Charles trying to create enough space to get his shot away from the edge of the box, but his path is blocked.

The hosts have the ball again, with Dos Santos and Gomez linking up superbly in midfield with a string of quick passes in a bid to set Moreno up, but the striker is outmuscled by Cabral.

CHANCE! Moises Gomez charges down the left for Villarreal and crosses it in from near the corner flag. His initial effort is cleared, but he gets another chance and this time pulls it back for Gerard Moreno, but Alvarez makes the save down low.

Villarreal are certainly looking the sharper of the two sides in the early stages of this match as Mateo Musacchio comes forward for a rare shot, but his scuffed effort is easily claimed by Alvarez.

Celta try to stem Villarreal's early charge by keeping hold of the ball in midfield, but Pina wins it back for the hosts. Moises Gomez looks to cross it from near the goalline, but his effort is forced clear.

Campbell takes a tumble again in the box, but this time is was just a slip as he battled with Fontas for the ball. The hosts are soon looking to get back in through the Costa Rican, but the right-back is ready for him yet again. It looks like there's going to be an entertaining battle between those two.

CHANCE! Clear-cut chances have been few and far between so far, but Celta break quickly as Nolito picks the ball up out wide, and tries to slice it past Asenjo, but his finish lacks power and is at a good height for the keeper, who makes the save with ease.

The home side have a throw in near the corner flag, but Radoja is caught out while parking Marcos, allowing the winger to cut inside, but Fontas rescues the situation with a well-timed clearance.

CHANCE! Musacchio is a bit too keen to try to stop Nolito getting the ball, and he catches the striker to give away a free kick in a dangerous position for the visitors. Orellana tees it up for Nolito, but his strike is straight into the arms of Asenjo.

Moises Gomez times a run forward perfectly, and he squares it to Campbell. The winger ends up on the deck again, for the third time since kickoff, but once again the referee gives nothing. The home supporters aren't happy, but there wasn't much in it to be honest.

Campbell is quickly back on his feet and on the attack, and this time he gets his pass into the box, but it's turned behind for a corner. The Costa Rica international is looking increasingly frustrated that he's being so physically covered by the Celta defenders.

Campbell is involved again as Dos Santos lofts the ball forward for him, but Radoja has him covered and deflects his effort for Alvarez to claim. Villarreal have certainly looked the sharper on the attack so far, but Celta's defenders have been excellent.

Celta force a corner on the counter-attack, and they get a string of attacking players lined up to meet it, but Costa nods it clear. Radoja is waiting just outside the box to fire it back in, but his low strike is weak and wide.

CHANCE! The hosts quickly win a corner down the other end as another Campbell cross is blocked. Dos Santos ambitiously attempts to hook it in from an ever tighening angle, but Alvarez beats him to it.

CHANCE! Villarreal try something a little different as Rukavina gets forward to unleash a volleyed effort, but it's accidentally blocked by teammate Tomas Pina, who sets him up for another chance with a backheel, but the finish it off target.

GOAL! Villarreal 1-0 Celta Vigo (Giovani dos Santos)

What a magnificent run and finish from Giovani dos Santos to score his first league goal of the season. The speedy striker bursts forward from the halfway line to meet a high ball on the counter-attack. He doesn't have anyone with in support, but only Cabral and the keeper are back for Celta, and Dos Santos loses the defender just in time before rifling the ball in low from an extremely tight angle. Alvarez will not be happy that he let that slip beneath him, but Dos Santos is quite rightly delighted.

Dos Santos is looking to get in for his second as he charges down the left. He's got the better on Fontas for pace, but the defender makes a last ditch effort to stop him, catching his ankle and leaving him on the ground in pain. It does give the hosts a free kick in a promising position.

GOAL! Villarreal 2-0 Celta Vigo (Mateo Musacchio)

Moises Gomez takes the free kick, and Alvarez has to tip it behind for the corner. The midfielder curls it back in, finding the head of Mateo Musacchio, who was unmarked in the middle of the penalty area, leaving him with a free header into the top corner.

HALF TIME: Villarreal 2-0 Celta Vigo

Well, the first 40 minutes were a bit of a slow burner, but Villarreal upped their game in the last few minutes of the first half to take a two-goal lead into the break. Celta Vigo had defended superbly early on, but it was a couple of basic errors that gifted the hosts their two goals.

Villarreal will be concerned that Giovani dos Santos picked up a knock late on. While the foul that floored him ultimately set up the second, they'll be hoping that he's pack after the break, as his pace has caused all sorts of problems. He didn't come back on before the half-time whistle, but the team will be hoping that the half-time break gives him time to shake off the knock.

Let's take a look at some of the statistics from the opening 45 minutes. Celta actually saw more of the ball with 52% of the possession. Villarreal had three times as many shots though with nine, six of which were on target, compared to just two for the visitors.

The players are making their way back out ready for the second half, and it looks like their will be a couple of changes.

RESTART! Villarreal get the action back underway.

SUBS! It's bad news for the hosts as Dos Santos isn't able to continue so Luciano Vietto starts the second half. The visitors also make a change, with Alex Lopez replacing Sergio Gomez.

The home side have an early opportunity to add a third, but Tomas Pina hurries his finish from just outside the box, smashing it well high and into the stand behind the goal.

GOAL! Villarreal 2-1 Celta Vigo (Augusto Fernandez)

Celta Vigo get themselves back into the game as Nolito wins a free kick 25 yards out when he's caught by Rukavina. He takes the set piece himself, and Costa doesn't realise that the Celta captain is behind him, leaving the ball for Augusto Fernandez to head past Asenjo.

Campbell continues to work hard down the left flank for the hosts, but Jonny is there to halt his charge this time. The Costa Rican had a frustrating first half, believing that he should have had several free kick and a penalty, but he certainly hasn't been put off by Celta's physical approach to him this evening.

CHANCE! Celta look a different side to the first half as they create a chance to get back on level terms. Orellana feeds the ball in for Charles, who attempts an acrobatic overhead kick, which Asenjo watches and saves carefully.

CHANCE! Nolito cuts inside from the left, shaking off Joel Cambell to get a low strike away, but he scuffs the finish and it ends up going wide.

Celta are peppering the Villarreal goal at the moment as they push for a second, and Orellana gets a powerful effort away on the edge of the box, but Dorado is in the way, and he makes the clearance.

Orellana and Charles team up on the edge of the box, and the ball eventually falls to Fernandez, who hits it first time, but has to watch his strike fly just wide of the left upright.

SUB! The hosts are making a second change, and it's surely one to help them restore a two-goal cushion as striker Denis Cheryshev is coming on for midfielder Moises Gomez, who was busy in the first half, but hasn't done much since the break.

The visitors are continuing to enjoy the better of the action in the second half, but they can't quite force the equaliser. Alex Lopez curls the ball in from a corner, but there's no-one open to head it in.

Joel Campbell attempts to stretch Celta on the counter-attack, but his ball in towards Marcos in intercepted and booted clear by Cabral. Campbell is starting to look rather laboured as he runs with the ball. He could find himself making way shortly.

Cheryshev makes his first real contribution since making his entrance, powering down the left before sending a stunning low cross in for Moreno, but the striker wasn't ready for it, and couldn't stretch to tap it in.

Cheryshev is involved again as he plays the ball forward for Vietto. There's too much on it for the striker to go for goal himself, but he controls it just in time to pull it back in towards Moreno, but Cabral gets it first and clears it. It finally looks like Villarreal are starting to find their feet again after a rather lacklustre start to the second half from the hosts.

Cheryshev is really working hard to try to set up something for the hosts, but Campbell's finish is woefully wide as he attempts to curl it in from the edge of the box.

SUB! It's another change for the visitors as Hugo Mallo makes way for Theo Bongonda.

SUB! Meanwhile, Villarreal make their last change, taking off Campbell for Mario Gaspar. Gaspar will take over at right-back, freeing up Rukavina for a more attacking role.

GOAL! Villarreal 3-1 Celta Vigo (Luciano Vietto)

It's a fantastic finish from Luciano Vietto to surely clinch the win for Villarreal. Tomas Pina fires a high ball over the middle to find the substitute out wide on the right. His first touch is excellent, allowing him to step inside Bongonda before firing in low from a tight angle.

BOOKING! Nolito is the recipient of the game's first yellow card as he clashes with Pina mid-air, flooring the Villarreal midfielder.

BOOKING! The referee has clearly got a taste for the cards now as he reaches for the yellow again as Fontas bundles Moreno down, earning himself the caution.

CHANCE! Charles times a quick burst from midfield to perfection to collect a high ball from the back. He just has Asenjo to beat, but a heavy touch from the Brazilian striker just as he reaches the area allows the keeper to rush out and claim it before Charles can get the shot away. What a waste for the visitors, that would have got them right back into it.

Celta are back on the charge as they try to get a goal back again. Lopez slots it through for Orellana, who in turn finds Nolito, but his shot is blocked. Meanwhile, it looks like the visitors will be making their final change imminently.

SUB! Charles's wasted opportunity from a few minutes earlier will be his last contribution as Joaquin Larrivey takes his place to try to give Celta a late turnaround.

GOAL! Villarreal 4-1 Celta Vigo (Gerard Moreno)

Well that should end the Celta challenge as Pina sets it up again, slicing the ball in to Moreno, who has plenty of space on the edge of the box to line up a driven effort through the legs of Sergio Alvarez, who hasn't been at his best today.

Celta aren't giving up as Nolito and Bongonda quickly get the ball back down the other end, but the eventual cross in is sloppy and ends up going behind without troubling Asenjo.

The visitors continue to push in the final couple of minutes. They're surely just playing for pride now, while Villarreal seem happy to let the visitors run at them, but Gaspar is ready to clear when Nolito forces his way into the box.

There are just two minutes of stoppage time to be played as Nolito charges forward again. He chips it in for Larrivey, but the sub can't beat Asenjo to it.

CHANCE! Moreno wants to make it five as he uses his pace to beat Jonny, but Vietto can't turn it in.

FULL TIME: Villarreal 4-1 Celta Vigo

So it's a pretty comfortable win in the end for Villarreal as they secure a 4-1 win over Celta Vigo. It looked like the visitors might get back on level terms as they fought bravely at the start of the second half, but mistakes at the back proved costly.

That's all from this match, but stick around as we'll have live coverage of Atletico Madrid's clash with Valencia in just a few minutes. Goodbye!

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Barcelona's coach Luis Enrique celebrates after a goal during the Spanish league football match FC Barcelona vs Club Atletico de Madrid at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on January 11, 2015
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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Atletico MadridAtletico18125133122141
2Real Madrid18124241182340
3Barcelona19122551222938
4Athletic Bilbao19106329171236
5Villarreal188643430430
6Mallorca199371921-230
7Real Sociedad187471613325
8GironaGirona187472625125
9Real BetisBetis186752122-125
10Osasuna186752327-425
11Celta Vigo187382728-124
12Rayo Vallecano185762021-122
13Las PalmasLas Palmas186482327-422
14Sevilla186482027-722
15Leganes184681728-1118
16AlavesAlaves184592130-917
17Getafe183781115-416
18Espanyol1843111630-1415
19Valencia172691626-1012
20Real ValladolidValladolid1833121237-2512


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