Villarreal 2-2 Borussia Monchengladbach: Xhaka leveller bags draw for table-topping visitors
Villarreal and Borussia Monchengladbach shared the spoils in Group A, with both first-place candidates going head to head in a vibrant and high tempo affair at El Madrigal.
Goals from Luciano Vietto and Denis Cheryshev gave the hosts the lead twice, but Raffael and a stunner from Granit Xhaka ensured that the away side didn’t go home empty-handed.
Despite the home side starting brighter, Gladbach carved out a fourth-minute chance. Good interplay between Hrgota and Raffael inside the penalty area looked destined to result in the opening goal, but the Brazilian’s questionable decision to tee up the advancing Ibrahima Traore saw the winger slice a terrible effort well wide of the far upright from 20 yards out.
On 16 minutes, however, it was Gladbach’s turn to hear warning bells, as Raffael was forced into defensive action at the far post, after a corner delivery was deflected towards goal by the forehead of Villarreal captain Bruno Soriano.
Continued pressure from Marcelino’s men eventually took its toll, with the hosts finding the elusive breakthrough goal in the 26th minute. After good work down the left-hand side from Jaume Costa, the left-back slid an incisive pass inside for Vietto to chase. Holding off the challenge of Roel Brouwers well, the former Racing Club youngster kept his composure to slide a tidy finish under the advancing body of Yann Sommer.
The second half started much the same as the first, with Sommer forced into action on 48 minutes. After good combination play from Mario and Cani down the right-hand side, the Swiss goalkeeper got down excellently to his near post to deny the latter with a smart stop.
Goalkeeping heroics were put on hold for Gladbach’s equaliser on 55 minutes, however, with Asenjo pushing a 30-yard effort from Raffael into the far corner. Despite having the ball well within reach, the Villarreal shot-stopper fluffed his lines entirely, giving Lucien Favre’s men an undeserved equaliser with a helping hand.
Courtesy of another defensive gaffe, Villarreal were able to restore their lead on 63 minutes, after Julian Korb failed to deal with a cross from the right by Vietto. A poor touch from the right-back gifted the loose ball to Cheryshev, who made no mistake by rifling a powerful finish into the bottom right corner.
There was nothing that any goalkeeper in the world could do about Gladbach’s second, however. After winning a free kick all of 35 yards from goal, Xhaka stepped up to smash an absolute thunderbolt off the underside of the crossbar and into the back of the net, leaving Asenjo as a heap on the turf.
Patrick Herrmann saw a low drive crack off the foot of the near post on 82 minutes, as Asenjo again placed question marks over his goalkeeping ability, with both sides trading half chances in the late stages, in a real game of two halves.
The two exhausted sides were happy to take a point against tough opposition at the final whistle, but Villarreal might just be kicking themselves given the nature of Gladbach’s two equalising goals, as three points would have set them up comfortably for the final round of Group A fixtures.
Villarreal and Borussia Monchengladbach shared the spoils in Group A, with both first-place candidates going head to head in a vibrant and high tempo affair at El Madrigal.
Goals from Luciano Vietto and Denis Cheryshev gave the hosts the lead twice, but Raffael and a stunner from Granit Xhaka ensured that the away side didn’t go home empty-handed.
Despite the home side starting brighter, Gladbach carved out a fourth-minute chance. Good interplay between Hrgota and Raffael inside the penalty area looked destined to result in the opening goal, but the Brazilian’s questionable decision to tee up the advancing Ibrahima Traore saw the winger slice a terrible effort well wide of the far upright from 20 yards out.
On 16 minutes, however, it was Gladbach’s turn to hear warning bells, as Raffael was forced into defensive action at the far post, after a corner delivery was deflected towards goal by the forehead of Villarreal captain Bruno Soriano.
Continued pressure from Marcelino’s men eventually took its toll, with the hosts finding the elusive breakthrough goal in the 26th minute. After good work down the left-hand side from Jaume Costa, the left-back slid an incisive pass inside for Vietto to chase. Holding off the challenge of Roel Brouwers well, the former Racing Club youngster kept his composure to slide a tidy finish under the advancing body of Yann Sommer.
The second half started much the same as the first, with Sommer forced into action on 48 minutes. After good combination play from Mario and Cani down the right-hand side, the Swiss goalkeeper got down excellently to his near post to deny the latter with a smart stop.
Goalkeeping heroics were put on hold for Gladbach’s equaliser on 55 minutes, however, with Asenjo pushing a 30-yard effort from Raffael into the far corner. Despite having the ball well within reach, the Villarreal shot-stopper fluffed his lines entirely, giving Lucien Favre’s men an undeserved equaliser with a helping hand.
Courtesy of another defensive gaffe, Villarreal were able to restore their lead on 63 minutes, after Julian Korb failed to deal with a cross from the right by Vietto. A poor touch from the right-back gifted the loose ball to Cheryshev, who made no mistake by rifling a powerful finish into the bottom right corner.
There was nothing that any goalkeeper in the world could do about Gladbach’s second, however. After winning a free kick all of 35 yards from goal, Xhaka stepped up to smash an absolute thunderbolt off the underside of the crossbar and into the back of the net, leaving Asenjo as a heap on the turf.
Patrick Herrmann saw a low drive crack off the foot of the near post on 82 minutes, as Asenjo again placed question marks over his goalkeeping ability, with both sides trading half chances in the late stages, in a real game of two halves.
The two exhausted sides were happy to take a point against tough opposition at the final whistle, but Villarreal might just be kicking themselves given the nature of Gladbach’s two equalising goals, as three points would have set them up comfortably for the final round of Group A fixtures.
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