Villarreal 0-1 Espanyol: Match Report, Goals, Stats and Ratings

How Espanyol won it

Espanyol struck first through Leandro Cabrera in the 60th minute, set up by Bryan Zaragoza.

It was 0-0 at half-time, and the second half changed the result.

The referee, J. Sánchez Martínez, showed 6 yellow cards: 3 to Villarreal and 3 to Espanyol.

Villarreal: I. Pérez Soto, 4-4-2 · Espanyol: J. González Álvarez, 4-2-3-1.

Moneyball's prediction against the result

A correct call: the Match Board's pick was Under 3.00, and 0-1 bears it out.

The estimate's most likely result was a Villarreal win at 60%; an Espanyol win, at 17%, is what happened. Its single most likely score was 1-1 (11%).

The goals dried up: the estimate expected about 3.0 and the match produced one.

Over 2.5 goals had been put at 57%; with 1 goal the under came in, against the way the estimate leaned.

Both teams to score was 55%; they did not both score, against the estimate.

Computed before kick-off from both sides' season goals and expected goals as of 2026-10-30, through a Dixon-Coles score model, and left as it was.

Why it went this way

On the day the expected goals were 0.36 for Villarreal and 1.06 for Espanyol.

The run of play itself went against the pre-match reading: Moneyball expected Villarreal to create more, and Espanyol did.

Villarreal had 4 shots on target, Espanyol 3.

Espanyol's goalkeeper made 5 saves.

Villarreal had 63% of the ball, but Espanyol took the points.

Where the two sides stood before this match

Villarreal came into it with 12 La Liga matches played, scoring 1.4 and conceding 1.3 a match, with 1.96 expected goals for and 1.12 against, and had won 33% of their matches.

Espanyol came into it with 12 La Liga matches played, scoring 1.1 and conceding 1.2 a match, with 1.19 expected goals for and 1.23 against, and had won 25% of their matches.

Villarreal vs Espanyol: the match in numbers

Team statistics from Sportmonks.

Player ratings and man of the match

Man of the match: Ángel Fortuño (Espanyol), rated 8.1 by Sportmonks.

Villarreal

• Santiago Mouriño 7.2
• Nicolas Pépé 7.1
• Renato Veiga 7.0
• Carlos Macià 6.9
• Georges Mikautadze 6.9

Espanyol

• Ángel Fortuño 8.1
• Leandro Cabrera 7.6 1 goal
• Vanja Drkusic 7.3
• Omar El Hilali 7.2
• Rafel Bauzà 7.2

The lowest-rated starter was Roberto Fernández at 6.4. Ratings run from 0 to 10; around 7.0 is a solid match.

What comes next

• Villarreal: FC Barcelona vs Villarreal Sunday 22 November 2026 · La Liga
• Espanyol: Athletic Club vs Espanyol Friday 20 November 2026 · La Liga

Each preview has Moneyball's estimate for the next match, published before kick-off and marked against the result afterwards, as this one is.

Questions about Villarreal vs Espanyol

What was the score in Villarreal vs Espanyol?

Villarreal 0-1 Espanyol (half-time 0-0), La Liga, Friday 30 October 2026.

Who scored in Villarreal vs Espanyol?

Leandro Cabrera 60'.

Did Moneyball predict Villarreal vs Espanyol correctly?

A correct call: the Match Board's pick was Under 3.00, and 0-1 bears it out.

Who was man of the match in Villarreal vs Espanyol?

Ángel Fortuño, rated 8.1 by Sportmonks.

Who refereed Villarreal vs Espanyol?

J. Sánchez Martínez.