Lech Poznan 3-0 Villarreal
If Quique Setien had a grace period in his first two matches as Villarreal coach, it ended on a cold Thursday night in Poznan.
Villarreal had already finished top of the table in their group and so could afford defeat, but after just a draw and loss against Hapoel Beer Sheva and Athletic Club in Setien’s first two games, he could have done with a performance.
The Yellow Submarine controlled the ball for the most part but could not control the match. Just before the half-hour mark, Lech escaped through the Villarreal press and Kristoffer Velde punished them.
The depth of Lech and the ball possession for Villarreal increased in the second half, but Setien’s side were still depressingly blunt in front of the Polish defence.
Michal Skoras then doubled the lead in similar fashion to the first, coming down their right and crossing for a simple finish at the far post. His late third, assisted by Mikael Ishak both times, was a carbon copy too, as if to write Villarreal’s issues stopping the counter in big scary letters across the pitch.
This match was essentially meaningless to Villarreal in terms of competition, but emotionally could be damaging. They face Real Mallorca on Sunday and although it is jut four games, murmurs will start if they do not get the right result.
