Aubameyang inspires Deportivo to 3-2 comeback at Villarreal
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored the 88th-minute winner and assisted both of Deportivo de A Coruña's other goals as the visitors beat Villarreal 3-2 in LaLiga Round 4 at the Estadio de la Cerámica. Deportivo came from behind twice, overturning Nicolas Pépé's opener and an Adama Traoré own goal to claim a dramatic away win.
Key Takeaways
- Aubameyang finished with one goal and two assists in Deportivo's 3-2 LaLiga win at Villarreal.
- Nicolas Pépé put Villarreal ahead before Luismi Cruz equalized from an Aubameyang layoff.
- Adama Traoré's 76th-minute own goal briefly restored the hosts' lead.
- Substitute Zakaria Eddahchouri leveled at 2-2, then Aubameyang sealed it late.
- Villarreal dominated possession and shots, but Deportivo were clinical in both boxes.
What happened in Deportivo's 3-2 win over Villarreal?
Villarreal started on the front foot at home and led in the 19th minute when Nicolas Pépé finished a fast break, with Ayoze Pérez providing the assist according to match reports. Deportivo answered just before the interval. At 43 minutes, Aubameyang laid the ball off for Luismi Cruz to steer in the equalizer.
The second half stayed frantic. Substitute Adama Traoré scored an own goal at 76 minutes to make it 2-1 for Villarreal, a moment ESPN highlighted as a costly error. Deportivo refused to fold. Three minutes later, Aubameyang threaded a through pass for fellow sub Zakaria Eddahchouri, who scored within two touches to restore parity.
On 88 minutes, Aubameyang broke clear on the right and tucked in the winner with his right foot. Referee Jesús Gil Manzano showed two yellow cards to each side as the tempo never dipped. For a fuller chronological read of the late swing, see the Sofascore match report.
How did Aubameyang change the game?
Sofascore rated Aubameyang 9.1, naming him player of the match. He took three shots, hit the target once, created two key passes including one big chance, and directly assisted both of Deportivo's other goals. Fans agreed, selecting him with 1,098 of 1,673 votes.
Coach Antonio Hidalgo's changes also mattered. Yeremay Hernández added energy after coming on, while Eddahchouri arrived on 77 minutes and scored at 79. Marc Casadó and Miguel Loureiro helped shut the game down. Both teams lined up in a 4-4-2, but Deportivo's late clarity in transition outweighed Villarreal's territorial control.
Why does this LaLiga result matter?
This was a Round 4 fixture, and Deportivo executed a classic away blueprint: absorb pressure, crowd the box, then punish space. Villarreal held 63% possession, completed 641 passes to Deportivo's 382, and produced 17 shots to 8, plus a higher expected-goals tally of 1.14 to 0.79. Crossing accuracy hurt the hosts at 2 of 20.
Deportivo scored two big chances to Villarreal's one, finished two of three shots on target after the break, and racked up 41 clearances to 11. Leo Román made four saves; Luiz Júnior made none. The visitors' average Sofascore team rating was 7.37 against 6.81. For more lifestyle and aspirational coverage across BlasterPost, browse our Luxury Real Estate & Dream Homes hub.
In short, Aubameyang's complete forward display turned volume into points and handed Deportivo a statement away result against a possession-heavy Villarreal side.