Villarreal 3 - 1 Athletic Bilbao: Villarreal enhance European credentials with victory over Athletic Bilbao

Posted Saturday, April 08, 2017 by PA

Villarreal strengthened their grip on fifth place in LaLiga with an entertaining 3-1 home victory over fellow European hopefuls Athletic Bilbao.

Victor Ruiz, who was later sent off, put Villarreal ahead and second-half goals from Cedric Bakambu and Adrian Lopez secured the win after Aymeric Laporte had equalised for Athletic.

The Yellow Submarine played out the final 16 minutes with 10 men following Ruiz's dismissal, but they held on to move four points clear of sixth-placed Athletic.

The hosts, who were stunned 3-2 by Eibar in their last match at home, took a 17th-minute lead when Ruiz smashed home the rebound after Athletic defender Yeray Alvarez had turned Samu Castillejo's cross against his own post.

Athletic were behind for barely three minutes, though, before an unmarked Laporte drew them level when he volleyed home Benat Etxebarria's deep corner.

That is the way the score remained until half-time, but Villarreal were ahead again just two minutes into the second half when Bakambu latched onto Roberto Soriano's brilliant through-ball, held off his marker, and fired low into the corner of the net.

It became 3-1 in the 58th minute when Adrian, a first-half replacement for Samu, nodded home from close range after Ruiz had all the time in the world to head Manuel Trigueros' deep free-kick back across the face of goal.

Ruiz's involvement did not last much longer as he picked up a straight red card for scything down Inaki Williams in the Athletic half, but the visitors - who twice hit the crossbar through Aritz Aduriz in the second half - could not take advantage.