In an exciting showdown on Monday, Villarreal reclaimed the top spot in La Liga with a dramatic 4-3 victory over Celta de Vigo, thanks to a decisive penalty rebound from Dani Parejo in the final minutes. The win propelled Villarreal to the top of the table, displacing Celta de Vigo, which had started the third round of the season leading on goal difference.
Celta de Vigo Starts Strong
Celta de Vigo, who had a perfect start to the season with two victories, opened the scoring early in the match. Borja Iglesias, making his debut for Celta, capitalized on a loose ball in the 12th minute to score into an unguarded net, giving the visitors a promising start.
In response, Villarreal leveled the game in the 26th minute when Sergi Cardona, completely unmarked at the far post, headed in from a corner. However, Celta regained the lead before halftime through Oscar Mingueza, who struck a powerful shot to restore the advantage.
In the second half, Villarreal made a crucial change with substitute Thierno Barry, who, just one minute after coming on, headed in to equalize in the 60th minute. From that moment on, the game tilted in favor of Villarreal when Celta defender Jailson accidentally deflected a cross from Nicolas Pepe into his own net, giving Villarreal a 3-2 lead.
Celta struggled to get back into the game. Thus, in the 80th minute, Swedish defender Carl Starfelt headed in to equalize once again. The match seemed destined for a draw until the final moments of stoppage time. However, Celta's Hugo Alvarez fouled Barry inside the box, awarding a penalty.
Moreover, goalkeeper Ivan Villar made a crucial save on Parejo's first penalty attempt. However, the veteran midfielder was quick to react and scored on the rebound. This late goal proved to be the decisive moment, securing a 4-3 victory for Villarreal.
With this victory, Villarreal reached seven points in three games. Thus, the team took the lead in La Liga. The dramatic finish highlighted the intense competition at the top of the table and marked a significant shift in the early-season standings.
