Chukwueze Lose With Villarreal In Friendly Against Fenerbahce

Chukwueze Lose With Villarreal In Friendly Against Fenerbahce  

Ibraheem Lateef Ayodele

Super Eagles winger Samuel Chukwueze made a second half start as his Spanish La Liga side Villarreal lost 2-1 to Fenerbahçe in their first friendly in Turkey during the international break for the World Cup in Qatar, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

The Yellows' goal was scored by Étienne Capoue, while three players made their first appearance for the first team: Luis Quintero, Jorge Pascual and Gianni Cassaro.

In the first game of the Submarine's tour of Turkey, as they face Galatasaray next Tuesday, Quique Setién mixed established players with youngsters from the academy in the starting eleven. Two had already made their first-team debuts, Adrián de la Fuente and Diego Collado, while Colombian Quintero played his first minutes.

It was 0-1 in the 23rd minute at the Ulker Stadium. A moved led by Gerard Moreno ended with the ball at the feet of Francis Coquelin, who switched to the left for Collado and the youngster crossed low for Capoue to send the ball into the back of the net. The Yellows No.6, who is getting used to scoring, celebrated in style.

Only four minutes later, Quintero could have made it 0-2. The talented academy prospect went round the Fenerbahçe goalkeeper, but his effort at full stretch was off target. It could have been a dream debut.

The Turkish side equalised in the 30th minute after a controversial penalty given for a foul by Jorge Cuenca on Serdan Dursun. The striker himself converted the penalty (1-1).

In the second half, Setién fielded a revamped team, with Samuel Chukwueze and six new faces from the first half, including the return of Alfonso Pedraza after overcoming his muscle injury. Only Pepe Reina, Gerard, Cuenca and Collado remained on the pitch.

In the 61st minute, there was another standout substitution, with young Villarreal C striker Pascual replacing Gerard. It was also his first appearance with the first team. Not long later, Villarreal B goalkeeper Gianni also came on. Three moments of joy in the same match.

The worst piece of news saw Pedraza have to go off injured with a quarter of an hour on the clock. Nikita Iosifov replaced him. The final goal of the match to make it 2-1 was scored by Joshua King in the 77th minute, firing past the Yellows' goalkeeper.

Villarreal's next match on Turkish soil will be against Galatasaray on Tuesday.