Despite the contrasting league positions of the two teams, this game promised to be keenly contested with both sides unbeaten in their last three outings.
It was the visitors, Villarreal, fresh from last week’s morale-boosting victory over champions Real Madrid, who thought they had taken an early lead when defender Pau Torres nodded in at the far post from Gerard Moreno’s cross, however, the flag went up for offside.
Prolific striker Moreno has missed much of this season due to injury, and he reminded the Yellow Submarine supporters of his capabilities when he skilfully took the ball under his spell and fired a sweetly-struck half volley from distance into the left corner to give the visitors the lead.
Most onlookers will have expected this goal to open the floodgates and lead to a comfortable evening for Villarreal, but the hosts remained very much in the contest and came close to equalising when Gabriel Veiga’s shot from inside the area was blocked by the scrambling Villarreal defence.
Pepe Reina was called into action again to deny Iago Aspas after his team had given possession away close to their own goal.
Celta Vigo’s efforts in the final third continued to let them down in the second half, and Carlos Carvalhal’s men were very nearly punished just after the hour park when Jose Luis Morales’ shot from the edge of the area grazed the bar on its way over.
The Celestes continued to battle away, and with just over 20 minutes remaining they found a deserved equaliser when a slide rule pass from Veiga played Jorgen Strand Larsen in, and the substitute fired his shot past Agustin Marchesin at the near post to set up a grandstand finish.
The momentum was firmly with the Galician outfit in the closing stages, but they couldn’t manage to find a late winner.
The result means that Celta Vigo climb one place to 15th, while Villarreal move into 4th for the time being.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Gerard Moreno (Villarreal)
