Gerard Moreno scored one goal and assisted another to lead Villarreal to a 2-1 victory over the defending champions Real Madrid today, Saturday, granting Barcelona a chance to take the lead in La Liga. Real Madrid's points remain at 38, equal to Barcelona, who will face Atlético Madrid, currently in fourth place, tomorrow, Sunday. With their third consecutive victory, Villarreal moved up to fifth place.
Villarreal dominated the match from the start, with Francis Coquelin hitting the woodwork in the fifth minute after goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois saved an attempt from Yeremi Pino. The pressure from the "Yellow Submarine" paid off when Moreno passed the ball to Pino, who struck a powerful shot into the net in the 47th minute.
However, Villarreal's lead was short-lived as the referee awarded a penalty after a handball by Juan Foyth, which Karim Benzema successfully converted an hour into the game. Two minutes later, Villarreal received another penalty due to a handball by David Alaba, amid protests from Real Madrid players. Moreno successfully executed the penalty into the net after sending Courtois in the opposite direction, securing the victory for Villarreal.
