Villarreal shared insights about his trade and the caliber of his squad, a voice that echoed through the halls of competition. The visit to a tough opponent sparked a sense of urgency, a resolve to break a curse that had shadowed his early league days and kept the dream of points just out of reach against stronger sides.
As Blanquivioleta coach José Rojo “Pacheta” led his team onto the José Zorrilla pitch, the vibe was clear: bold pursuit of vertical play from the opening seconds, tempered by the knowledge of the opponent’s strengths.
Within minutes, Sergio Leon Roque found the net after a precise pass from Mesas, though the whistle ruled offside. That early moment served as a warning: a club of Villarreal’s standing would not surrender without a fight, even on enemy soil, and the game would require more than luck to bend in Valladolid’s favor.
The locals found it increasingly hard to escape the middle of the park as the visitors began to press with greater purpose. Valladolid’s defense held firm against the Yellow Submarine’s swarming attack, yet the danger grew closer to the goal with each passing moment.
Villarreal looked more at ease as the first half wore on. Neither side produced a truly cohesive rhythm, but the visitors controlled possession enough to keep the tension high. A header chance from a corner for Villarreal flirted with danger when Gerard Moreno fired wide, reminding everyone of the high level of finish on display.
– The moment was captured by social chatter and official highlights, underscoring the intensity of the match as Villarreal’s ambitions were laid bare against a stubborn Valladolid side.
This surge of momentum lifted Villarreal’s spirits, and the visitors pressed again with Jeremy Pino, only for Sergio Asenjo to deny him. Roque Mesa then tried to exploit space with a long-range try that the goalkeeper brushed aside, keeping the stalemate intact for a while longer.
Two minutes after halftime, Nicolas Jackson, a youngster from the Yellow Submarine’s academy, seized a moment of chaos in the box caused by a clearance error and struck decisively to put the visitors ahead. The home crowd watched in disbelief as the visitors claimed the lead with a composed finish that found the back of the net despite the confusion around the clearance.
Pacheta reshuffled from the bench, dispatching Iván Sánchez to inject pace and directness. He instantly gave the defense something extra to think about as Iván drove forward and forced a save from Rulli, who parried the ball away and kept his team ahead. The chance hinted that Valladolid might spark a response, but the tale would tilt in Villarreal’s favor once more.
Shortly after, Roque Mesa found space and attempted a shot that required more from the opposition’s keeper, who remained alert and decisive. Yet the visitors were not finished. A second misstep in the box allowed Jackson to strike again, and the shot found the net to seal a convincing 0-3 victory for Villarreal. The Yellow Submarine sealed the result with another powerful push late in the game, leaving the home side to rue lost chances and defensive lapses.
The final whistle confirmed the scoreline: Real Valladolid 0, Villarreal 3. The visitors celebrated a strong start to the campaign, while Valladolid reflected on the gaps that let the visitors claim all three points on opening night.
The home team tried to respond with late attacks, including a shot from Kike and a dangerous corner engineered by Gassama that tested the goalkeeper. Yet the best opportunity of the late stages came from a moment of misdirection in the box, when a clearance error by the defense almost gifted a late consolation, only to be snuffed out by a precise intervention from the goalkeeper.
End scoreboard: Real Valladolid 0 – 3 Villarreal. The Yellow Submarine rode the momentum, while Valladolid began the season with valuable lessons and a reminder of the quality on their schedule.
The match unfolded in front of a crowd of over seventeen thousand spectators at José Zorrilla, with the stadium’s historic attendance milestones noted as part of the night’s context. The result set the tone for a vibrant LaLiga Santander campaign, with both teams poised to press forward on their respective paths.
Data sheet:
0 – Valladolid: Sergio Asenjo; Luis Pérez, Joaquín, El Yamiq, Escudero (Olaza, art. 80); Roque Mesa (Kike, m.56), Monchu, Aguado; Silver (Iván Sánchez, m.56), Sergio León (Gassama, m.55) and Toni Villa (Óscar Plano, m.62).
3 – Villareal: Ruli; Foyth (Mandi, m.88), Albiol, Pau Torres, Pedraza; Yeremy Pino (Álex Baena, m.63), Capoue, Parejo, Coquelin (Chukwueze, m.63); Gerard (Morales, m.72) and Jackson.
Goals: 0-1, art.49: Jackson. 0-2, art.81: Alex Baena. 0-3, art.90: Alex Baena.
Judge: Mario Melero López (Andalusian Committee). He showed a yellow card to Roque Mesa (m.51) from Real Valladolid.
Events: The match, which coincided with the first day of LaLiga Santander, was played at the José Zorrilla stadium in front of 17,543 spectators. Before the start of the match, the all-time record for subscribers of the blaquivioleta club was confirmed with more than 2,250 people.