Madrid, March 21 — Villarreal moved into third place in La Liga after a dominant 3-1 win over Real Sociedad at the Estadio de la Cerámica, producing a clinical first-half display that effectively decided the game early. The victory, sealed by three goals before the interval, marks Villarreal’s first league double over Sociedad since 2016-17 and underlines their strong home form this season.
The tone was set seven minutes in when Gerard Moreno rose above the defence to head home from a well-worked flank delivery, leaving goalkeeper Álex Remiro with little chance. The early strike unsettled Sociedad and gave Villarreal the confidence to press.
Barely eight minutes later, a neat midfield move featuring Alberto Moleiro carved open Sociedad’s back line. Moleiro’s composure released the ball into a dangerous area and Georges Mikautadze was on hand to convert from close range, doubling the hosts’ lead and putting them firmly in control.
Midway through the first half Nicolas Pépé added a third, picking up the ball, driving forward and firing a shot that, despite a slight deflection, beat Remiro. Three goals inside the opening period left Sociedad chasing the game.
Real Sociedad offered a brief response immediately after the break when Luka Sučić pulled one back a minute into the second half, injecting hope and urgency into their play. That spell of momentum was short-lived; Villarreal managed the game with composure, kept possession and disrupted Sociedad’s rhythm so the visitors never mounted a sustained comeback.
The result lifts Villarreal a point above Atlético Madrid, though Diego Simeone’s side still have a game in hand against Real Madrid on Sunday. At home, Villarreal have now won 12 of 15 matches at the Estadio de la Cerámica this season, their only defeats coming against Real Madrid and FC Barcelona.
For Sociedad the defeat is costly: they drop to seventh and miss the chance to draw level with Celta Vigo in a tight table. As the season heads into its decisive phase, Villarreal’s performance was more than three points — it was a clear statement of intent from a side bidding to hold on to a top-three position.
Original Source: https://theshillongtimes.com/2026/03/22/villarreal-cf-cruise-past-real-sociedad-to-climb-into-third/
Category: SPORTS
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Publish Date: 2026-03-22 07:39:00
