Villarreal’s Champions League ambitions suffered a massive blow as they fell to a 2-1 defeat at Alaves in Monday night’s La Liga clash.
First-half goals from Ibai Gomez and Rodrigo Ely were enough for Mauricio Pellegrino’s side, while Cedric Bakambu’s reply wasn’t enough for the Yellow Submarine who stay eight points off fourth-placed Sevilla.
Winger Gomez and on-loan Brazilian defender Ely both struck late in the first period to halt the Basque side’s three-game losing run.
Gomez broke the deadlock in the 35th minute when he drilled a low angled shot from the edge of the penalty area into the bottom corner, before AC Milan loanee Ely headed home Kiko Femenia's cross in the final minute of the half.
Bakambu’s low finish twenty minutes from time gave the visitors hope but the striker missed a glorious chance to level proceedings in the third minute of injury time.
The victory lifted Alaves into 11th place, leapfrogging Valencia.
