Match Centre

Villarreal's 63% possession and 17 shots (7 on target) painted a misleading picture as Deportivo La Coruña snatched a 3-2 away win with brutal efficiency. The hosts' higher xG (implied by 9 shots inside the box vs Deportivo's 6) was undone by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's game-changing impact – assisting Luismi Cruz's 43rd-minute equaliser and Zakaria Eddahchouri's 79th-minute winner before scoring himself in the 88th minute.

Villarreal's Nicolas Pépé opened scoring in the 19th minute (assisted by Ayoze Pérez) and benefited from Adama Traoré's 76th-minute own goal, but their 7 corners to Deportivo's 1 yielded no decisive edge. Despite making five second-half substitutions, including introducing Santi Comesaña and Georges Mikautadze, Villarreal conceded twice in the final 12 minutes. Deportivo's 3 goals from just 3 shots on target (100% conversion) against Villarreal's 0 goalkeeper saves proved decisive.