Villarreal boost European hopes with late win over Valencia

Villarreal have moved another step closer to securing European football next season courtesy of a late 1-0 win over Valencia at the Estadio de la Ceramica this evening.

It looked as though the top-six showdown was heading for a stalemate until the 86th minute, when Mario Gaspar struck the winning goal to hand the home side all three points.

Valencia - who had already been guaranteed a top-four spot courtesy of Real Betis's defeat earlier in the day - were unable to respond in the closing stages as their winless run stretched to five games, whereas Villarreal now sit six points clear of Sevilla in seventh.

The visitors - on their longest winless run of the season - were the first to come close in the 25th minute when Rodrigo latched on to a dangerous cross inside the area, but his low strike was smartly saved by Sergio Asenjo.

It wasn't until four minutes before half time that Villarreal created their first major chance of the contest when Denis Cheryshev lifted the ball into the area for Carlos Bacca, who could not keep his effort down as the two sides went into the break goalless.

Clear chances were even more difficult to come by in the second half, but any thoughts that the game would drift out into a goalless draw were abruptly ended four minutes from time when Gaspar got on the end of Manuel Trigueros's free kick to divert the ball past Neto.

There was no way back for Valencia after that late goal as they fell to another defeat, leaving them having picked up only two points from the last 15 on offer in La Liga.

Villarreal, meanwhile, are now in the driving seat to earn a place in the Europa League next season, with Javi Calleja's side also boasting a game in hand against many of the teams around them in the table.

VILLARREAL (4-4-2): Asenjo; Gaspar, Gonzalez, Ruiz, Rukavina (Costa 46'); Castillejo, Hernandez, Trigueros, Cheryshev (Fornals 67'); Raba (Sansone 83'), Bacca

VALENCIA (4-4-2): Neto; Vezo, Garay, Gabriel, Gaya; Soler (Torres 71'), Parejo, Kondogbia, Guedes (Pereira 81'); Mina (Vietto 67'), Rodrigo