http://www.calypsoinnovation.com/ Villarreal 4-2 Real Zaragoza Villarreal got their push for European qualification back on track as they held off a second-half comeback from Real Zaragoza. Joan Capdevila, Nilmar and Giuseppe Rossi all struck within the first 25 minutes to put the Yellow Submarine firmly in control of the match. The away side hit back in the second half with goals from Pereira Eliseu and Angel Lafita but Ariel Ibagaza struck late on to move Villarreal up one place to ninth in La Liga. Yellow Submarine coach Ernesto Valverde made three changes from the side that crashed to a 4-1 defeat to local rivals Valencia last week. Former Manchester United striker Rossi came in for the misfiring Cani while David Fuster and Kiko made way for the unsettled Robert Pires and Ivan Marcano. Zaragoza looked short on confidence having not won a game since November 1 and they got off to a terrible start at El Madrigal. Three minutes in Santi Cazorla's shot from the edge of the area came back off a post allowing Capdevila to pounce and tap in from close range. The home side continued to pile on the pressure and were rewarded when Nilmar put them 2-0 up with his sixth of the season on 18 minutes. The Brazil striker picked up Rossi's throughball and broke through the visitors' defence before neatly lifting the ball over Zaragoza's advancing stopper Juan Carrizo. Italy striker Rossi, who has started the last games on the bench, then got himself on the scoresheet shortly after when he raced on to Marcos Senna's throughball and calmly beat Carrizo. Valverde's side could have picked up their fourth shortly after but Soriano Bruno's speculative effort from the edge of the box sailed just over. Zaragoza rarely threatened throughout the first half and manager Jose Gay, clearly unhappy with his side's performance, swapped Jorge Lopez for Javier Arizmendi after just half an hour. Arizmendi's introduction seemed to have an impact on the game and he came close to pulling a goal back after the break but his header flew just over Rodriguez Diego Lopez's goal. Villarreal looked comfortable on the ball and appeared to be cruising to a comfortable win until Zaragoza shocked the home crowd by scoring two second-half goals in eight minutes. First Humberto Suazo turned neatly and slipped in Eliseu, who smashed home from six yards out with 15 minutes remaining. Zaragoza then pulled themselves to within one goal of the hosts when Lafita stormed through a packed penalty box before sliding the ball under Lopez. Gay's side then pushed for an equaliser with substitute Jermaine Pennant proving a constant threat down the right flank. The away side over-stretched themselves, however, and Villarreal made them pay on the break as Nilmar set off barely unchallenged on a 50-yard dash before sliding the ball to substitute Ibagaza, who rounded the keeper and beat a Zaragoza defender on the line to seal the win. Villarreal's win means Zaragoza remain three points adrift of safety in 19th while the Yellow Submarine now sit seven points off the pace for a place in the Europa League. http://www.espnstar.com

• published: 26 Jan 2010
• views: 8912