Gerard reigns in agony

Villarreal recovers the pace with goals from Fer Niño and Gerard after coming into this derby with just one win in the last seven games, with three consecutive draws at home. He overthrew the Levant because, despite the losses and his condescension, he has plenty of resources. So much has Emery in the pantry that he gave him to leave Kubo in the stands and show him the door of Getafe. Still, he suffered greatly. In the first place because Emery changed what worked at half-time, control and the ball out with Parejo of five. And in the second instance, because he forgave the sentence and resurrected a rival spurred on by Sergio León's goal.

The first minutes of the meeting were scoring. More with one's own than with others. Villarreal opened midfield, with Iborra out and Capoue still unpacked, while Levante, forced by absences, played with a line of three behind and a single natural center-back, the fire extinguisher Duarte, and two lanes who had trouble remembering what were its functions. In this period of recognition Roger (3 ') and Fer Niño (6') had the best chances. The game had pace, until a couple of collisions stopped it decisively. After one of these stops, Rochina had to leave the field injured. In the other clash, between Peña and Toño, the Levante side stayed out of the field while Villarreal cooked the 1-0 with an attack that went from right to left and culminated with a low center measured from Pedraza to Fer Niño . The youth squad, under the crossbar, thanked the gift.

Villarreal then dominated to the sound of Perejo. However, he lacked a fang in the last few meters. Gerard walked too far out of the box at times on this stretch and Yeremy got stuck in his eagerness to explode one on one. Paco López, on the other hand, took hold of Malsa and his team began to show signs of life despite his mistakes. Dani Gómez incomprehensibly forgave the tie in a play traced to that of the local goal, but in the other area (32 '). Coke then tried with a good free-kick (47 ') to which Asenjo responded with agility keeping the rent at halftime. Villarreal felt superior and aired it.

In the resumption, changes were expected in Levante and, surprisingly, the one who executed them was Emery. Foyth (center) tried unsuccessfully to take the controls of the midfield and Chukwueze sat Yeremy down. Villarreal lost control but won in vertigo. On the first occasion of this second tempo, Gerard made it 2-0 in an action in which he turned a stumble, wanting to hit the outside, into an accurate right hand. So are the geniuses, who are not satisfied with improving each play but, in addition, they invent new lots within the area. Shortly after, Parejo was able to finish the game. He was generous and he emboldened Levante who, just eight minutes later (73 '), shortened the gap with a defensive oversight by Estupiñán. The winger, just out, forgot his mark in a quick throw-in. With 20 minutes to go, the game broke down to Emery's despair, leaving 3-1 as close as 2-2. Gerard (on the stick) and Morales (in a great arrival) did not hit the definition, so everything stayed as it was. With Levante puffing for the first half it had lost and with Villarreal still shivering for not killing when it should.