Villarreal tightened their grip on fourth place in the Primera Liga with a 1-0 victory over Real Zaragoza.
Villarreal strengthen hold on fourth place
Villarreal tightened their grip on fourth place in the Primera Liga with a 1-0 victory over relegation-threatened Real Zaragoza.
The Yellow Submarine had come under pressure in their pursuit of the final UEFA Champions League berth following a couple of defeats, while their run to the Europa League semi-finals may also have proved a distraction.
Zaragoza were determined to make life difficult for the hosts at El Madrigal, needing just a point to climb out of the bottom three.
There was nothing to choose between the teams in a goalless first half, before the pivotal moment arrived in the 71st minute.
Former Manchester United striker Giuseppe Rossi earned a penalty for Villarreal after being fouled by Leonardo Ponzio, and stepped up to convert the spot-kick himself.
Zaragoza battled hard in an effort to find an equaliser but to no avail, and to compound their misery Ikechukwu Uche was sent off in the 90th minute for a second bookable offence.
The result leaves Zaragoza in the drop zone, while Villarreal look certain to finish fourth as they have a nine-point cushion over the chasing pack but still trail third-placed Valencia by six.
