Joseba Llorente 67, 70, 84, Pirčs 79 Saganowski 19, Enevoldsen 36, Johansson 77
Villarreal power passes AaB test of fire
Tuesday 21 October 2008
Match report by Graham Hunter from El Madrigal
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Joseba Llorente scored a second-half hat-trick after coming on as a substitute at the breakJoseba Llorente scored a second-half hat-trick after coming on as a substitute at the break (©Getty Images)Photos/WallpapersPhotos/Wallpapers »
Villarreal CF emerged bruised but triumphant from a wonderful match against Aalborg BK, winning 6-3 but only after a test of fire from the Danish champions.
Power play
The second-half power-play, led by substitute Joseba Llorente's hat-trick will not erase a thrilling counter-attack display by the Danish side who nevertheless left empty handed. Two headers and a clever chip from Marek Saganowski, Thomas Enevoldsen and Andreas Johansson first gave AaB the lead, then squared the match and finally some late hope at 4-3. But counters from Giuseppe Rossi, Joan Capdevila, that devastating hat-trick from Llorente and a rare header from Robert Pirčs completed the fightback on a thrilling night.
Saganowski excels
The first half was quite superb and an example of what self-belief and attacking intentions can achieve. Though the teams left the field at 2-2 the three key figures were all wearing the red-and-white stripes of AaB. Anders Due flashed up and down the right touchline like lightning and the only reason Kasper Břgelund was not man of the first half was that Saganowski excelled him. Saganowski played what can be that lonely role as single striker but he performed magic. Twice in the first five minutes he dropped deep to flick on and the second time Due was clean in on Diego López's goal but failed to convert.
López saves
Notice had been served and the goal was delivered 14 minutes later. Břgelund surged up the pitch, slipped possession to Due and went for the return. Instead the winger gave silver service to Saganowski and the headed goal was laid on a plate. One-nil should have been two, moments later, when López saved from Due's almost identical header. But just when the Danish champions were in the driving seat they failed to check in their rearview mirror.
Deft chip
Overlapping full-back Ángel López crossed for Rossi to clip in off Steve Olfers and Villarreal were back in it. The salvage job yielded more treasure when Capdevila struck with a soaring right-foot shot in the 33rd minute which looked to have turned the match. But the Danes were undaunted. Saganowski again dropped deep, fed Enevoldsen and his pace made the deft chip over López easier than it should have been for 2-2.
Clever tactic
The second half was equally good. Rossi's 46th-minute shot brought the best from AaB goalkeeper Karim Zaza as did a raking centre from Ángel ten minutes later. Pellegrini's demand that the midfield should press tightly around Saganowski ensured his lay-offs were mopped up. Chances flowed down the right and eventually substitute Llorente lobbed Zaza, but watched Michael Jakobsen clear off the line. Seconds later Llorente gobbled up the rebound off Zaza from Senna's 40-metre piledriver on 67 minutes and Villarreal were ahead.
Goal flood
Llorente struck again three minutes later off a fantastic assist from Robert Pirčs but AaB still were not finished, Johansson adding another header seven minutes later to make the score 4-3. Pirčs himself scored a rare headed goal on 79 minutes thanks to Cazorla's clever work before Llorente completed his hat-trick and the scoring with six minutes to play. AaB's three goals will worry Villarreal coach Manuel Pellegrini whose side had previously only conceded three goals in league and European football this season, but the night of champagne football ended with corks popping in the Madrigal and a sad hangover for the brave Danes.
Ah sailin wid de boat sink or flot ah sailin wid de boat ....
line up ..line up ..everybody line up yeah !
