Villarreal defeated Espanyol 3-1 at El Madrigal, after coming from behind in the second half.
Felipe Caicedo gave Espanyol the lead in the third minute, and Villarreal failed to threaten the Espanyol defence in the first half.
They turned it around in the second half though. First, Roberto Soldado netted the equaliser, before Cedric Bakambu scored two quickfire goals late on to secure the three points for Villarreal.
Relive Sports Mole's live commentary below.
Good evening! Welcome to the start of this weekend's La Liga action. Tonight it's the turn of Villarreal and Espanyol to entertain us. They'll get underway in just under 30 minutes time.
Let's dive straight into the team news:
VILLARREAL XI: Areola; Mario, Bailly, Victor Ruiz, Costa; Pina, Trigueros, Naheul, Castillejo; Soldado, Leo Baptistao
ESPANYOL XI: Pau, Duarte, Victor Sánchez, Víctor Álvarez, Gerard, Montañés, Javi Lopez, Caicedo, Alvaro, Arbilla, Raillo
Roberto Soldado certainly has a job on to rebuild his career after an underwhelming spell at Tottenham Hotspur. He got off to a great start last weekend with a debut goal and partners Leo Baptistao in attack for Villarreal tonight.
Espanyol have made a host of signings this summer, including the £1m arrival of Gerard from tonight's opponents. He starts against his former club tonight. His strike partner Felipe Caicedo will be familiar to Manchester City fans, after spending three years there earlier in his career.
It's a bit too early to put any weight on the team's positions in the table at this stage, but I'm going to do it anyway. Espanyol are currently fifth after beating Getafe last week, and Villarreal sit in seventh after that draw against Real Betis.
A brief look at last week's games then - Espanyol took the lead early thanks to a Salva Sevilla free kick and were in complete control against Getafe. Villarreal should prove a much tougher test tonight.
For Villarreal, Roberto Soldado gave them the lead but a late goal ensured that they would only be going home with a point. To rub salt in the wounds, it looked like Xavi Torres's strike was offside.
HEAD TO HEAD: Last time these teams met at El Madrigal, Espanyol took home a shock 3-0 win. That ended a four-match unbeaten run for Villarreal in this fixture.
PREDICTION: With just a few minutes to kick off, it's time for my prediction. Villarreal deserve to be slight favourites tonight, after their sixth-place finish last season, and Soldado will be desperate to prove his doubters wrong. I'm going for a 2-1 Villarreal win.
KICK OFF: Espanyol get us underway!
Espanyol start well, and attack early. Montanes's cross is headed away by Ruiz before Duarte's cross from the left is overhit,
Villarreal get their first shot of the game, as Soldado chests the ball down to Samu Castillejo who strikes straight at Pau from 20 yards.
GOAL: Villarreal 0-1 Espanyol (Felipe Caicedo)
Espanyol take the early lead! Gerard Moreno plays a through ball to Caicedo, who beats the offside trap and finishes coolly past Areola.
Let's see how Villarreal will respond from that then. They've had all the possession since the restart but aren't threatening at all just yet.
CHANCE! A free kick is played into the box by Costa and Baptistao rises highest. He can only direct his header over the bar though.
Espanyol on the attack now. Duarte looks to make progress down the left side but that is halted when he fouls Mario Gaspar.
With 15 minutes gone, Villarreal really must regroup here. They've had most of the ball since the goal, but aren't causing any danger.
Better from Villarreal as Costa puts a great cross in towards Baptistao. The Espanyol defence manage to clear though.
YELLOW CARD! A booking for time wasting in the 20th minute... Goalkeeper Pau was warned for taking too long at a goal kick just a few minutes ago. This time, he goes in the book.
Espanyol win a free kick on the left by line as Gaspar fells Duarte with a stray leg.
CHANCE! From the free kick, Raillo gets his head on the ball, but it goes over the bar. He should have hit the target with that one.
YELLOW CARD! Castillejo's pace is causing problems against his former club. This time Lopez has no option but to take him out and accept the yellow.
YELLOW CARD! Another yellow for Espanyol, and this time it's for a foul by Montanes on Leiva. A free kick in a dangerous position here for Villarreal...
Castillejo's free kick comes to nothing and is headed away by Gonzalez.
The Villarreal fans are getting frustrated with their team, as Trigueros wastes a chance to play in Baptistao by overhitting his chipped pass all the way to Pau.
YELLOW CARD! Once again, it's an Espanyol player, and Caicedo can have no complaints after taking out Trigueros from behind.
Castillejo certainly looks to be Villarreal's most best attacking outlet tonight. His pace and direct running is one of the few things that Espanyol are struggling to deal with so far.
Espanyol are certainly happy to let Villarreal have possession, but the hosts just aren't doing anything to threaten. They have to improve in the second half.
Castillejo drives up the left wing but, as if to sum up Villarreal's first half performance, he falls over the ball when he gets into the area.
HALF TIME: Villarreal 0-1 Espanyol
Just seconds of stoppage time is played and Espanyol take a well-deserved lead into the second half.
Caicedo took his goal very well, and since then Villarreal haven't offered much at all. Castillejo is their main threat, and they should really be looking to utilise him more in the final 45 minutes.
STAT WATCH: Villarreal have had 65%p possession so far, but just one shot on goal for each team tells the whole story.
BENCH WATCH: Jonathan dos Santos is Villarreal's obvious replacement to freshen up their attack in the second half. For Espanyol, Marco Asensio, on loan from Real Madrid could be called on while last week's goalscorer Salva Sevilla is also on the bench.
KICK OFF: Villarreal restart the match and Trigueros shoots wide of goal from 25 yards.
An Espanyol corner is played deep to Sanchez, who launches the ball towards the head of Caicedo. His header is weak and Areola gathers with ease.
Soldado looks to get in behind the Espanyol defence but he is flagged for offside.
Leiva is fouled by Sanchez, but the Espanyol midfielder escapes a booking.
Villarreal are looking better this half - still yet to break through, but looking much more likely.
An attack down the left is stopped by the assistant as Castillejo is flagged for offside. That was the wrong decision there.
CHANCE! A superb cross from Duarte finds Gerard inside the area, but his shot is blocked by Areola and the ball goes behind for a corner.
CHANCE! Alvarez's corner is overhit, but the ball is played back towards him. He then looks to chip Areola from a tight angle but the ball hits the crossbar and goes behind.
VILLAREAL SUBS: Castillejo is replaced by Samuel and Baptistao comes off for Bakambu.
GOAL: Villarreal 1-1 Espanyol (Roberto Soldado)
Back in La Liga, back in the goals! A cross from the left is perfect for Soldado who volleys into the bottom left corner. That's two goals in two games for him now!
That goal has certainly lightened the mood at El Madrigal, and all of a sudden Villarreal seem completely dominant.
Bakambu tries to beat the offside trap but moves just half a second to early. That could have been dangerous.
ESPANYOL SUB: Caicedo is coming off, and he's not too happy! Canas replaces him.
So, a striker is replaced by a midfielder for Espanyol. Settling for a point? That certainly looks to be the case.
Leiva shoots from long range but it balloons over the bar.
VILLARREAL SUB: Jonathan dos Santos is their last substitution and he comes on for Pina.
With 10 minutes to go, Villarreal look the most likely to win from here. Espanyol are clearly playing for the draw, and Villarreal have looked far more dangerous in the second half.
CHANCE! Villarreal should have hit the back of the net there! First Trigueros is denied by a last-ditch tackle, then the ball falls to Samuel who puts it wide from eight yards. Was that the chance to win it?
YELLOW CARD! Eric Bailly goes in the book after a strong challenge on Lopez.
ESPANYOL SUB: There I was saying that Espanyol were playing for a draw, but striker Burgui has just come on for midfielder Alvarez. Maybe they're going for the win after all.
GOAL: Villarreal 2-1 Espanyol (Cedric Bakambu)
Villarreal have taken the lead with just minutes to spare! Bakambu receives the ball on the left side of the area and rounds Pau before slotting the ball into the net from a tight angle! Great goal from the young Frenchman.
We will have four minutes of stoppage time.
Villarreal have all the possession here. They'll just be looking to play down the clock now. It has been a great comeback for them tonight. After a dismal first half, they've turned the game around completely in the second half.
GOAL: Villarreal 3-1 Espanyol (Cedric Bakambu)
Game over! Bakambu! He's changed the game since coming on and notches another just before the final whistle. A low cross from Samuel finds Bakambu who taps in from six yards. What an impact!
FULL TIME: Villarreal 3-1 Espanyol
What a turnaround for Villarreal, and what a night for Cedric Bakambu. He'll certainly be pushing for a start next time out with that second-half performance.
Thanks for joining me tonight! After a poor first half, the second was certainly worth the wait. Join us again for more La Liga action tomorrow.
Written by
Jonathan McIntosh
Jonathan McIntosh
