Villarreal climbed to the top of the standings after a tense draw in Vallecas against Rayo Vallecano. The opener arrived in a first half marked by a quick exchange of goals, with Alexander Sørloth finding the net and Kike Pérez leveling soon after. The visitors had a moment to seize when Alberto Moreno was dismissed late in the match, but the team showed resilience to secure a point.
After a midweek trip to Athens that ended in a 1-0 loss to Panathinaikos, Castellón’s squad arrived in Vallecas determined to erase early doubts that had unsettled the season and even led to Quique Setién stepping away from the bench for two and a half weeks. For this fixture, José Rojo Pacheta implemented three changes relative to the previous league game, adding defensive depth and injecting fresh energy in the middle of the park. Alberto Moreno settled on the left side of defense, Mandi anchored the central defense, and Santi Comesaña returned to Vallecas for the first time since 2016, resuming his presence in the midfield.
Alberto Moreno was the architect of Villarreal’s opening efforts. A ball was hoisted from the left by Iván Balliu, Moreno struck a cross behind the defense, and Aridane failed to clear properly, allowing Alex Baena to drive into the box and feed Sørloth, who finished clinically at close range.
Four goals in the last four days was the refrain for Sørloth, the Vikings’ top scorer, who posted a message on social media from DAZN Spain to caption the moment as a defining show of the talent in La Liga.
Villarreal’s joy endured barely a minute as a long ball from Raúl de Tomás reached Raúl, who failed to control but laid the ball off to Kike Pérez. Pérez finished with a deft touch, lifting the ball into the frame of the goal to restore parity just as the celebrations began to settle.
As the match progressed, Rayo Vallecano gained momentum and controlled the ball for lengthy spells on the left wing under the direction of Álvaro García. Despite this pressure, Villarreal found a way to reassert themselves and moved ahead again when Gerard Moreno fired a diagonal shot that struck the right post just before the half ended.
The second half brought a more balanced balance of play. Pacheta made a proactive change by bringing Manu Trigueros on for Gerard Moreno, a move that stabilized Villarreal and helped solidify the team’s structure. Francisco Rodríguez also looked for options, replacing Raúl de Tomás and Isi Palazón with Jorge de Frutos and Sergio Camello to increase the visitors’ attacking mobility. The fresh bits of dynamism allowed Rayo to press higher and longer, testing Villarreal’s resolve.
Jorge Jorgensen faced a renewed test as the home side pressed forward, with Oscar Trejo striking a diagonal shot that capped a sequence only to strike the post. In the 77th minute, Alberto Moreno received a second yellow card and left Villarreal with ten men, forcing José Luis Morales to drop back as a makeshift full-back to preserve the shape and prevent a collapse.
Even with the numerical disadvantage, Villarreal did not crumble. They defended doggedly and even threatened on the break, with Yeremy Pino testing Dimitrievski in a one-on-one scenario that the goalkeeper managed to repel. The closing minutes saw Rayo pushing relentlessly, rallying around the pace and movement of their Brazilian winger as they sought a late winner. Villarreal stood firm and avoided defeat, weathering the siege to keep a share of the points.
Data sheet:
1 – Rayo Vallecano: Dimitrievski; Balliu, Aridane, Lejeune, Espino; Isi, Unai López, Óscar Valentín, Álvaro García, Kike Pérez, Raúl de Tomás. Substitutions: De Frutos for Isi (m.60), Pathé Ciss for Unai López (m.70), Trejo for Kike Pérez (m.69), Camello for Raúl de Tomás (m.60). [citation: official team sheet and match report]
1-Villarreal: Jorgensen; Foyth, Albiol, Mandi, Alberto Moreno; Comesaña, Parejo, Yeremy Pino, Baena; Gerard Moreno, Sørloth. Substitutions: Capoue for Comesaña (m.76), Romero for Baena (m.76), Trigueros for Gerard Moreno (m.56), Morales for Baena (m.76). [citation: official team sheet and match report]
Goals: 0-1 Sørloth (m.15); 1-1 Kike Pérez (m.16).
Referee: Jorge Figueroa Vázquez. Yellow cards: Álvaro (m.18), Camello (m.63); Alberto Moreno (m.62), Comesaña (m.73). Red card: Alberto Moreno (m.77 double yellow). Attendance: around 14,000 at Vallecas Stadium. [citation: official match report]