
Grandad Pepe, Grandad Gerard and golden boy Nicolas keep Yellow Submarine's UCL dream alive
Reading Time: 2min | Sat. 20.05.23. | 17:29
Two veterans were instrumental in Villarreal's added-time winner in Girona
Villarreal kept the pressure on fourth-placed Real Sociedad with an added-time 2-1 win at Girona - and the winner came as a result of the vast experience of goalkeeper Pepe Reina and captain Gerard Moreno. Okay, let's just put a disclaimer here that we don't really consider Moreno a grandad just because he's 31. The same can be said about the 40-year-old Reina, but the years they spent playing at the very highest level make it feel as if they've been there for ages.
Anyway, Girona also had dreams of sneaking into European places, so they made it a good game in the lovely Catalonian city and the cosy Estadi Montilivi.
Nicolas Jackson continues his superb form for Villarreal:
— Football Talent Scout - Jacek Kulig (@FTalentScout) May 20, 2023
vs Espanyol ⚽️
vs Celta ⚽️⚽️
vs Valencia ⚽️
vs Athletic Club ⚽️⚽️
vs Girona 🅰️🅰️
21 years of age. One of the best La Liga players in recent weeks! 🟡🇸🇳 pic.twitter.com/0ehmh7x1oT
However, Michel's team was behind after just nine minutes. The blistering pace of Villarreal's Nicolas Jackson was on show again as he burst away from the last Girona defender before squaring for Yeremy Pino to finish.
Quique Setien's Yellow Submarine continued to attack at the speed of Jackson and Samuel Chukwueze. That threat did little to dampen Girona's attacking intentions, though, and they found an equaliser just before the 25-minute mark when defender David Lopez tapped in after a nice team move.
Both teams had chances to win the game, with the hosts looking like the team most likely to score. However, this time they were hit by a sucker punch deep in the added time. Reina claimed a ball from a Girona free kick and wasted no time in throwing it far ahead into the path of the unplayable Jackson. The Gambian-born Senegal international sprinted and swung a low cross onto the far post for skipper Moreno to slam into the net and give the travelling fans something to jump about.
LA LIGA - MATCHDAY 35
Friday
Cadiz - Valladolid 2-0 (0-0)
/Bongonda 69, 76 pen/
Saturday
Girona - Villarreal 1-2 (1-1)
/Lopez 24 - Pino 9, Moreno 90+4/
Athletic Club - Celta (in progress)
19:30: (2.37) Almeria (3.30) Mallorca (3.20)
19:30: (1.57) Getafe (3.80) Elche (7.50)
22:00: (1.94) Barcelona (3.60) Sociedad (4.50)
Sunday
15:00: (2.30) Rayo Vallecano (3.50) Espanyol (3.40)
17:15: (1.43) Atl.Madrid (4.80) Osasuna (9.50)
19:30: (3.15) Valencia (3.50) Real Madrid (2.40)
22:00: (2.45) Sevilla (3.40) Betis (3.20)
***odds are subject to change***









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