Villarreal beat Levante 3-1 in La Liga's seventh round on Sunday at the Estadio de la Cerámica. The hosts took the lead through Ayoze Pérez before Levante responded almost immediately through Iván Romero. Alberto Moleiro restored the advantage before Georges Mikautadze added a late third.
It was tight from the start. Pérez fired home at the 41st minute, and here's the thing — Levante did not panic. Romero levelled within a minute, catching them camped in the final third. Mandi picked up a yellow card earlier, and by then the mood had shifted entirely.
Moleiro put the hosts back on top at the 54th minute. Levante made three changes around the hour mark, bringing on Thiago Cruz Fernandez and others. Villarreal kept pushing, and it showed. They had created seven big chances but could not convert them all.
Mikautadze's goal at the 86th minute did not come as a surprise. Villarreal pressed until the end, and Levante, reduced to defending deeper, could not clear everything. Buchanan went off at the 79th minute after picking up a booking for a late challenge.
The numbers tell one story, the game told another. Villarreal finished with 62 per cent possession and 4.02 expected goals, yet Levante took a lead they had no business keeping. They created just two big chances and had one shot on target in the first half. Shots accuracy sat at 33 per cent for the hosts, which is why the scoreline looks generous.
We called for a home win before kickoff, 48 per cent confidence. It came through, though not without nerves. Villarreal move to eight points from seven games, while Levante sit 17th with five points after six matches. The gap widens, and the pressure settles on the visitors.
