Villarreal left it late but secured all three points on Wednesday as Villarreal CF beat Levante UD 1‑0, with Nicolas Pépé supplying the decisive assist on Matchday 16 of La Liga.
The only goal of the match arrived in the second half after a tight opening period in which neither side was able to create a clear breakthrough.
Villarreal left it late but secured all three points on Wednesday as Villarreal CF beat Levante UD 1‑0, with Nicolas Pépé supplying the decisive assist on Matchday 16 of La Liga.
The only goal of the match arrived in the second half after a tight opening period in which neither side was able to create a clear breakthrough.
Villarreal eventually made their pressure count in the 57th minute through a swift counter‑attack that exposed the home defence.
Pépé, who started and completed the full 90 minutes, delivered a precise final pass into the penalty area.
His delivery found Georges Mikautadze centrally placed, and the striker finished first time with his right foot into the bottom left corner.
The goal proved enough to settle the contest.
Levante pushed for an equaliser in the closing stages but could not find a way through a disciplined Villarreal back line.
The visitors maintained their advantage to claim a narrow but valuable away victory.
The result earned Villarreal three important points and underlined the growing influence of Pépé in the side’s attacking play.
The Ivorian international’s contribution continues a steady run of productivity this season, as he now has five assists and three goals from 23 league appearances.
While the match produced few clear chances overall, Villarreal showed efficiency when it mattered most.
Their ability to capitalise on a single decisive moment ultimately separated the teams after an otherwise balanced encounter.
For Levante, the defeat came despite a competitive performance, with the hosts unable to convert possession into meaningful opportunities in front of goal.
Villarreal, meanwhile, left with maximum reward from a disciplined display built around organisation and clinical finishing.
