The match began with an effervescent energy, typical of the kind of football that usually takes place in venues like Istanbul where friendly matches seem to not exist. It had pace and tension, even at times too much. But if Villarreal was looking for a definitive test before starting to compete just seven days later, it is clear they sought the right place to start saving their practice rounds.
Just one minute into the game, a cut inside the area by Pepe after a deep pass from Moleiro caused Lemina to fall and in the drag, he took the ball with his hand. Ayoze did not miss from 11 meters to advance the yellow shirts.
But the match promised emotions and, just one and a half minutes later, came the Ottoman equalizer. A great center by the wing-back Elmali was caught by Osimhen for a header that leveled the score.
After the goal, there were moments of give-and-take before Villarreal could control the game. In the back and forth, Sané and Yilmaz made life difficult for the yellow defense. Moleiro, Pepe, and Mikautadze did the same with the local backline. Meanwhile, Osimhen lost his temper and tried to attack Mourino. The Nigerian striker also showed his darker side, that which explains why he is not in one of Europe's big clubs despite his undeniable potential.
Before halftime, a great Castellon move resulted in a second yellow card. Foyth (what a blessing his return for Villarreal), broke lines to plant himself in the rival area and serve Pepe. The costamareño, generous, left him with a clear shot at Mikautadze to advance the yellow shirts.
Ready to Compete
In the second half, Villarreal found spaces easily and, with them, the yellow team was lethal. Pepe and Romero had the goal in two one-on-one situations and Moleiro could have scored from a front-foot shot early on. The yellows were much superior and accumulated clear-cut chances to dominate showing their repertoire of resources counter-attacking. The flood of football did not reflect in the score due to lack of accuracy.
With the final changes, the Turkish champion relied on pride to level the match. But it was not enough to unsettle a Villarreal that shows they are already in perfect condition to begin what is serious.
