Alaves and Villarreal played out a tight 1-1 draw in their La Liga clash, with a late Nicolas Pepe strike salvaging a point for the visitors. Despite holding a first-half lead through an own goal, Alaves were ultimately undone by Villarreal's superior shot creation and possession.

Alaves took the lead in the 40th minute through an own goal by Ruben Marin, but Villarreal dominated the shot count throughout, registering 10 total attempts compared to just 8 for the home side. Villarreal also enjoyed 52% of the ball possession, with a pass accuracy of 83% to Alaves' 77%.

The tactical key to Villarreal's comeback was their ability to carve out high-quality chances. The visitors generated 0.59 expected goals, significantly higher than Alaves' 0.22 xG. This allowed Pepe to snatch a late equalizer and salvage a point for his team. In contrast, Alaves struggled to break down Villarreal's defense, managing just 2 shots on target all game.

The tactical failure for Alaves was their inability to protect their lead. Despite taking an early advantage, they were unable to shut down Villarreal's attacking play, allowing the visitors to pepper their goal with attempts. Alaves' 19 fouls and 4 yellow cards also suggest a level of desperation as they tried to disrupt Villarreal's rhythm.