Villarreal claimed a confident 2-0 victory over RCD Espanyol in LaLiga, a result that not only stretched their dominance in this fixture but also gave them their best points tally at this stage of a season since 2010/11.
The home side started brighter, with Espanyol’s Tyrhys Dolan forcing an early save from Villarreal goalkeeper Luiz Junior, who reacted sharply to tip away a dangerous cross.
Roberto Fernandez was lively in the opening exchanges, but Espanyol’s wastefulness in front of goal and errant final passes kept the scoreline goalless.
Villarreal initially struggled to find their rhythm, relying on long passes toward Tajon Buchanan and Tani Oluwaseyi, though neither could make the ball stick.
Their first real threat came when a deflected cross almost wrong-footed Espanyol’s Marko Dmitrovic, who produced an excellent reflex save to keep it out.
As the first half wore on, both sides found themselves locked in midfield battles, though Dolan’s direct runs and Gerard Moreno’s touches of class added flashes of quality.
The breakthrough came shortly before the interval when Moreno silenced his former fans with a precise strike from outside the box that caught Dmitrovic off guard and nestled into the corner.
Espanyol looked to respond immediately after the restart, but a lightning counter from Villarreal undid them.
Buchanan tore down the left flank and delivered a pinpoint cross for Alberto Moleiro, who calmly slotted home to double the visitors’ advantage before the hour mark.
Santi Comesaña almost added a third with a fierce drive that mirrored Moreno’s opener, but Dmitrovic was again alert. As Espanyol pushed forward in desperation, gaps began to appear, allowing Villarreal to control proceedings with composure.
Despite Dolan’s continued efforts to inspire a comeback, Espanyol lacked the cutting edge to make their pressure count. The final whistle confirmed another frustrating night for the hosts, who have now managed just four wins in 24 home league meetings with Villarreal (D12, L8).
The Yellow Submarine, meanwhile, celebrated their sixth straight LaLiga win over Espanyol and a record-breaking points haul to cap their strong start to the season.
