Asublime Denis Suárez free-kick eight minutes from time was enough to hand Villarreal victory in their Europa League clash against Napoli and give them a narrow advantage to take into the second leg of the last-32 tie.
The hosts came out on top in an intense, even battle which could have gone either way. Marcelino's charges ended the game looking stronger, which is ultimately what saw them overcome their Serie A rivals.
It was even-stevens in the first half as the two teams traded spells of possession and pressure in the opposition's box, without ever really fashioning any chances of note.
With the teams locked at 0-0, the final stages of the game promised plenty of excitement. To further stoke things up, both coaches turned to their benches and summoned their forwards, with Cédric Bakambu bolstering the hosts' attack and Gonzalo HiguaÃn coming on for the visitors.
It was the La Liga side who broke the deadlock with eight minutes remaining when Suárez curled in a sumptuous free-kick to which Napoli were unable to find a reply during the closing stages.
Source: transfermarketweb.com