UCL: Copenhagen Edge Villarreal in Thrilling 3-2 Win
Villarreal's disastrous UCL campaign continues as they fall 3-2 to Copenhagen, with Nicolas Pepe unable to inspire a comeback.
FC Copenhagen score late winner vs Villarreal to sink Yellow Submarine in five-goal thriller...
Andreas Cornelius struck a 90th-minute winner for FC Copenhagen as they beat Villarreal 3-2 at the Estadio de la Cerámica in the UEFA Champions League (UCL), meaning the Yellow Submarine are still without a win in this year’s competition and on the brink of elimination.
Despite performing fantastically in LaLiga, where they are just five points adrift of leaders Barcelona with a game in hand, Villarreal’s UCL campaign has been close to disastrous, amassing just one point from their opening five games.
Copenhagen pounced early, taking the lead in less than two minutes. Marcos Lopez's fantastic cross found Mohamed Elyounoussi, who slotted the ball past Luiz Junior, giving the Danish team a boost in their playoff qualification hopes.
In the opening 15 minutes, Copenhagen dominated, with Tajon Buchanan's shot from outside the box narrowly missing the target. The Danish outfit looked more threatening, putting pressure on the hosts.
Villarreal started to gain momentum, largely thanks to Nicolas Pepe's efforts. The winger was a constant threat, and his header produced a great save from Dominik Kotarski before halftime.
Copenhagen held on until the break, but Villarreal's resistance was breached just after the restart. Marcelino made a triple substitution, surprisingly replacing Pepe, and two new players made an immediate impact. Santi Comesana scored, poking in Ilias Akhomach's cross.
Copenhagen quickly regained the lead, with Elias Achouri scoring just a minute after Villarreal's equalizer. Achouri swept Yoram Zague's ball past Junior, who may have done better to save it.
The second half was turning out to be a thriller, and it got even more frenetic as Villarreal equalized again just 12 minutes later. Substitute Tani Oluwaseyi scored, placing his shot past Kotarski with the outside of his foot in the 56th minute.
Copenhagen with a 90th-minute winner 😲#UCL pic.twitter.com/EPHyMojLkD
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) December 10, 2025
Villarreal dominated possession, pushing hard for a winner, but lacked a clinical edge. Ayoze Perez had a gilt-edged chance, but poor finishing was an issue for the hosts.
Copenhagen took the lead for a third time, right at the death. Substitute Andreas Cornelius was the hero, hammering the ball into the corner from close range, securing a dramatic 3-2 win for the Danish side.
Copenhagen held on to secure a 3-2 win, keeping their knockout hopes alive with upcoming games against Napoli and Barcelona. Meanwhile, Villarreal are on the brink of elimination, having won just three of their previous 21 UCL league phase/group stage matches.
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