Though they were on track for their worst La Liga campaign in five years, following a 3-2 loss at Celta Vigo that all but ended their European hopes, Villarreal made the better start, with Alexander Sørloth rising to meet a cross that he headed just over the bar. Eleven minutes later, that miss would prove costly, as Kiko Femenía handled an airborne ball in the box, leading to a penalty that Youssef En-Nesyri slotted to the left of Filip Jörgensen’s glove.
Villarreal’s heads didn’t drop though, and they were level on the half-hour mark, as Sørloth burst into the box to meet Jorge Cuenca’s pinpoint cross and head in at close range. En-Nesyri was in no mood to be upstaged though, and he completed his brace to give Sevilla a HT lead just as the dressing rooms beckoned. Jesús Navas was the architect, lofting a shrewd pass into the box for the Moroccan, who timed a header to perfection for his third double of the campaign.
Álex Baena and Cuenca had fleeting chances to net another leveller for Villarreal early in the second half, but neither managed to really test Ørjan Nyland with a sweeping shot and a header over the bar respectively. After more staunch defensive efforts from Sevilla, Sørloth also had a chance to complete a brace of his own at the three-quarter mark, as he picked up a cross on the periphery of the visitors’ penalty area, but could only fire wide of the left post.
Sevilla offered little in response, with the Andalusian outfit relying on their composure to see them through. But that backfired spectacularly on 84’, as Villarreal finally drew level for the second time, when Ramon Terrats released Yerson Mosquera inside the box, and the Colombian went down the middle with his shot to send the home fans wild.
All of the drama was reserved for six minutes of injury time that seemed to stretch into eternity. After a penalty for Sevilla following a Villarreal handball in the area was ruled out after a review, Terrats appeared to have netted a late winner, only for another VAR review to adjudge him offside. However, there was one final twist, as Baena crossed into the box with the final move of the day, enabling Sørloth to finally bag his second with another header that snatched the win, giving the Yellow Submarine’s hopes of a top-seven finish an extra boost.
