Nolito's sixth goal of the season in the final minute of the game has given Celta Vigo a precious 2-1 win over Villarreal at the Estadio El Madrigal.

The lively Manuel Trigueros lashed an effort from the edge of the box narrowly over the top of goal on 15 minutes as the home side began the game on the front foot.

Trigueros then sent a back-post volley narrowly wide, before Sergio Alvarez tipped Roberto Soldado's curling effort around the post.

Tomas Pina's near-post header from a corner was within inches of giving Marcelino Garcia's side the lead, before they fell behind against the run of play.

Celta Vigo had not had a single shot until Fabian Orellana collected Augusto Fernandez's pass 25 yards from goal and thumped an effort into the corner of Alphonse Areola's goal just three minutes before the break.

Eduardo Berizzo's team should have doubled their advantage just seconds later when Nolito's clever pass found Orellana, but the Chilean winger's ball to the back post just evaded Iago Aspas.

Villarreal were dealt a blow at the start of the second half as defender Eric Bailly was dismissed for a second yellow card for a careless tackle on the edge of his own box.

However, the home side levelled the game through former Celta Vigo man Denis Suarez, whose deflected strike deceived Alvarez on 67 minutes.

Villarreal finished the game strongly, and could have snatched all three points themselves had Soldado beaten Alvarez with his vicious 25-yard strike in the dying minutes, but the Celta Vigo goalkeeper got a hand to the effort.

With time all but out, Nolito then popped up to fire home the rebound after Orellana had struck the bar with a curling strike from the edge of the box.

The result means Celta Vigo extend their unbeaten run and move to second in the La Liga table.