Villarreal 1 : 2 Celta Vigo - Late Nolito strike helps Celta Vigo keep pace with leaders

Posted Sunday, October 18, 2015 by PA

Celta Vigo drew level with Real Madrid and Barcelona at the top of La Liga after Nolito's 90th-minute winner earned them a 2-1 victory at 10-man Villarreal.

The hosts thought they had done enough for a point after recovering from going a goal behind and having a man sent off early in the second half only for their concentration to lapse in the dying moments.

They were architects of their own downfall as they dominated the opening 45 minutes and squandered a number of chances before Fabian Orellana scored with the visitors' first shot just before half-time.

Momentum swung in the 10 minutes either side of the break as Celta had two other good chances to score before the interval, with Villarreal losing centre-back Eric Bailly to a needless second yellow card just after the restart.

However, Yellow Submarine coach Marcelino maintained a positive approach and it paid off when substitute Denis Suarez equalised with the aid of a deflection only for Nolito to pop up with a very late winner.

Villarreal, third before kick-off, should have capitalised on their first-half dominance with Leo Baptistao's choice of a close-range diving header when it looked easier to go with his foot to connect with Roberto Soldado's cross signalled the start of a number of missed opportunities.

Manu Trigueros was off target with two shots and, although Mario Gaspar's at least made Sergio Alvarez make a save, Tomas Pina's header from the resulting corner sailed over.

Completely against the run of play Augusto Fernandez picked out Orellana, who managed to find plenty of space in the hole just in front of the back four, and he took one touch to turn and whip a shot past Alphonse Areola in the 41st minute.

It sparked a flurry of action in the hosts' previously quiet penalty area, with Orellana combining with Nolito only for the midfielder to waste the chance by looping a cross to the far post which was too high for Iago Aspas.

Nolito came closer to that far post on the stroke of half-time when he cut in from the left and fired a shot past Areola which flicked the outside of the upright.

Two minutes into the second half Bailly, booked for a foul on Pablo Hernandez 10 minutes before half-time, inexplicably handled the ball above his head under pressure from his Argentinian opponent and received his second caution.

The goal prompted an immediate double substitution from Marcelino, sending on Denis Suarez and Antonio Rukavina with a third change coming before the hour with Cedric Bakambu replacing the ineffective Baptistao.

Celta looked like they would pay for Aspas missing an open goal from six yards when Suarez's shot took a huge deflection off full-back Hugo Mallo to beat Sergio Alvarez at his near post for the equaliser.

However, the impressive Orellana rattled the crossbar in the 90th minute and Nolito reacted quickest to drill home the rebound.