Incoming goal from Gerard Moreno sealed the victory in the 94th minute for Villarreal, as they faced Girona on a challenging Saturday at Montilivi with a 1-2 result. The triumph reinforced Villarreal’s status as a serious challenger in the league and kept their European ambitions alive, with a clear push toward finishing in the top four and pursuing another Champions League berth.
Even with the suspensions of Pau Torres and Daniel Parejo, Quique Setién’s squad once again demonstrated why many see them as the strongest side in the competition, extending their current spell to five consecutive matches without a loss and adding another win over the Catalan club in recent weeks.
Michel Sánchez’s team had just finished a four-game run without defeat and remained positioned to challenge their rivals for seventh place and entry into the Conference League tier.
The match began with both teams seeking to build danger from the opening minutes, trading possession and weaving attempts into the rhythm. It did not take long for the first goal to arrive, a mere nine minutes into the action.
Nicolas Jackson punished a costly error by Santi Bueno as he attempted a clearance, surging toward the goal and, upon reaching the area, laying the ball across to his right where Pino finished with precision for a 0-1 lead.
Girona responded quickly, reasserting their vertical style and pressing forward while Villarreal waited for counters, looking to exploit the pace of Samuel Chukwueze, Jackson, and Pino to swing the momentum back in their favor.
Rodrigo Riquelme tested the opposing keeper with a shot after a sharp individual move that Pepe Reina stopped in two stages, keeping the scoreline tight. That sequence culminated in a 24-minute free kick taken by Riquelme, extended by Arnau Martínez, and ultimately watched over by David López before finding the back of the net, bringing the score to 1-1 just before the break.
Before halftime, Villarreal managed to restore the lead with a strike from Pino. The play featured a controversial moment in which the referee waved off a second yellow card after a half-hour incident that involved a ball-hit moment in the stands, leaving the crowd unsettled.
After the break, the match remained evenly poised as both sides pushed forward in search of supremacy, yet neither could claim a decisive advantage for long stretches.
Étienne Capoue unleashed a powerful long-range effort that tested Gazzaniga, while Girona threatened again as Castellanos squandered a promising chance. Shortly after, Argentine forward Stuani came on for Cristhian Stuani, with David López also making way for Yangel Herrera to add fresh energy in midfield after a long injury layoff since February.
Setién answered with a more attacking approach, introducing Gerard and Giovani Lo Celso as the game opened up, though the decisive goal remained elusive for the hosts until late in the contest. A late offside decision on Stuani, flagged by Viktor Tsygankov, briefly complicated the Girona offense, and Reina unleashed a fierce strike from Riquelme moments later, warning that the hosts were still dangerous in the final third.
Despite sustained Girona pressure, Villarreal held firm and then delivered a late counter that sealed the match. Manu Trigueros created the decisive moment, and in stoppage time the visitors found the net through Gerard at the far post after a cross from the left. The blast of joy from Villarreal’s bench contrasted with Girona’s disappointment as the final whistle sounded and the three points went to Setién’s team on a night of tense, hard-fought action.