Villarreal make winning start in Emirates Cup

Spanish side Villarreal kicked off the Emirates Cup with a 2-1 win over Bundesliga runners-up Wolfsburg on Saturday.

Marcelino Garcia Toral's team made a flying start in the opening match of the four-team pre-season tournament thanks to first-half goals from Mario Gaspar and Matias Nahuel Leiva at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium.

Villarreal, who finished sixth in La Liga last season, opened the scoring in the eighth minute when Spanish right-back Gaspar seized on Samuel Castillejo's deflected pass into the penalty area and slammed his left-footed strike past Wolfsburg goalkeeper Koen Casteels into the top corner.

Dieter Hecking's Wolfsburg were level within two minutes, with Croatia winger Ivan Perisic slotting home at the far post after Daniel Caligiuri's low cross exposed the back-pedaling Villarreal defence.

It was the kind of incisive run and finish that showed why Inter Milan are keen to sign the 26-year-old.

But Villarreal were back in front in the 17th minute after referee Bobby Madley waved play on following a bone-jarring midfield collision and teenage midfielder Nahuel Leiva took advantage, sprinting clear to stroke a cool finish past Casteels.

With Wolfsburg playmaker Kevin De Bruyne showing little of the quality that has made him a Manchester City transfer target, the Belgium international, who had been booked in the first half, was taken off with 30 minutes left.

De Bruyne's departure was one of a raft of second half substitutions that included a return to the Emirates for Wolfsburg's former Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner, but the Dane couldn't inspire a late equaliser.

Later on Saturday, hosts Arsenal face French side Lyon.

On Sunday, Villarreal play Lyon and Arsenal take on Wolfsburg.
Source: AFP