Alaves 2 - 1 Villarreal: Ibai Gomez and Rodrigo Ely on target as Alaves see off Villarreal

Ibai Gomez and Rodrigo Ely scored first-half goals as Alaves dealt Villarreal's Champions League hopes a blow with a 2-1 win.

Winger Gomez and on-loan Brazilian defender Ely both struck late in the first period and Cedric Bakambu replied for the visitors, but the home side held on.

Alaves halted a three-game losing run and left Villarreal eight points adrift of fourth-placed Sevilla.

Villarreal found themselves on the back foot as Gomez and Deyverson both went close for the home side in the opening exchanges.

Gomez broke the deadlock in the 35th minute when he drilled a low angled shot from the edge of the penalty area into the bottom corner.

Ely, who arrived on loan from AC Milan in January, scored his first goal for the club in the final minute of the first half, heading home Kiko Femenia's cross.

Femenia went close to extending the home side's lead early in the second period with an effort from outside the box before Villarreal reduced the deficit through Bakambu's low finish in the 70th minute.

Victory lifted Alaves up to 11th in the LaLiga table.