Villarreal stop rot with victory over Gijon
Reuters - Monday 23 January 2012, 21:56
Villarreal recorded their
first win in seven games and climbed out of the relegation zone
with a 3-0 La Liga win at home to fellow strugglers Sporting
Gijon on Monday.
Marco Ruben and Borja Valero netted two goals in two minutes
and Bruno Soriano struck in added-time for the 2006 Champions
League semi-finalists.
Villarreal, whose campaign has been wrecked by injuries to
key players, made the breakthrough in the 57th minute at El Madrigal when Ruben battled through a crowd of defenders
and slotted past Juan Pablo.
Valero added a second in the 59th when he found space
outside the penalty area and lashed a powerful drive into the
corner of the net before Soriano curled a superb shot into the
top corner in the first minute of added-time.
With half the season played, Villarreal are 17th on 19
points, ahead of 18th-placed Granada on goal difference after
the Andalusian club were beaten 3-0 at Espanyol on Saturday.
It was a first win for Villarreal coach Jose Francisco
Molina, who was promoted from the B team last month after the
sacking of Juan Carlos Garrido.
Gijon, who barely threatened the Villarreal goal, are 19th
on 18 points, six ahead of bottom side Real Zaragoza, who drew
0-0 at Levante on Sunday.