Villarreal 1-1 Real Madrid: Hosts miss chance to go top despite Gerard Moreno’s

On Nov 23, 2020

Villarreal 1-1 Real Madrid: Hosts miss chance to go top despite Gerard Moreno equaliser from the spot following Thibaut Courtois’s foul after Mariano Diaz had headed Zinedine Zidane’s men in front

Mariano Diaz heads home from a Dani Carvajal cross to put visitors in front
Hosts wanted offside against Lucas Vazquez in build-up to Mariano’s header
Gerard Moreno equalises with penalty after Thibaut Courtois’ foul in the area
Dani Parejo also misseD glorious chances for the hosts at Estadio de la Ceramica

Published: 08:45 EST, 21 November 2020 | Updated: 12:42 EST, 21 November 2020

Real Madrid were left counting the clock down as their injury-hit team had to fight for a point against Unai Emery’s Villarreal.

Madrid were ahead inside two minutes and it was the player constantly ignored by Zinedine Zidane, Mariano Diaz, who put them ahead. He was only in the team because of injury to Karim Benzema and Luka Jovic’s coronavirus’ positive.

Mariano powered a Dani Carvajal cross past Sergio Asenjo having got in front of the last Villarreal defender with all the aggression and anticipation that is so often lacking from Madrid’s attacking play.

Villarreal missed the chance to go top despite Gerard Moreno’s equaliser from the spot

Mariano Diaz put Real Madrid in front with a second-minute header from Dani Carvajal’s cross

Villarreal complained that the assistant referee had caused confusion by raising his flag

MATCH FACTS

Villarreal (4-3-3): Asenjo; Gaspar (Pena 89); Albiol, Pau Torres, Pedraza (Pino 61); Trigueros (Estupinan 61), Iborra, Parejo; Moreno, Bacca (Chukwueze 61), Moi Gomez (Kubo 89)

Subs not used: Funes Mori, Foyth, Rulli, Coquelin, Jaume Costa, Baena, Nino

Booked: Pino

Goal: Moreno pen 76

Real Madrid (4-2-3-1): Courtois; Carvajal, Varane, Nacho, Mendy; Modric, Kroos; Vazquez, Odegaard (Isco 65), Hazard (Vinicius 65); Mariano Diaz (Asensio 85)

Subs not used: Marcelo, Lunin, Rodrygo, Altube, Chust, Aranda

Booked: Nacho, Kroos

Goal: Diaz 2

Referee: Alejandro José Hernández Hernández

Villarreal were upset because Lucas Vazquez had been offside when the ball reached Carvajal. The flag was raised but quickly lowered when he left the ball for the full-back to cross.

It was Mariano’s sixth goal in just seven games for Madrid and by his standards, at 105 seconds, it had come late – he took just 53 seconds to score for Madrid against Barcelona as a substitute last season.

He was very bright early on as Madrid threatened on the break. On 31 minutes it could have been two as Carvajal raced on to a Toni Kroos pass but Alfonso Pedraza got the tackle in before he crossed to Mariano at the back post. And Mariano then started the next counter attack before finding Lucas who couldn’t finish.

Dani Parejo had gone close with a header from a Gerard Moreno cross but Villarreal for the most part had been kept at bay by a Real Madrid side missing Karim Benzema, Sergio Ramos and Casemiro.

Mariano started…