Villarreal: Pape Gueye and Nicolas Pépé salvage a point in Santander

16.08.26 FT LaLiga Spain

Racing Santander

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Villarreal

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Pape Gueye and Nicolas Pépé enabled Villarreal to snatch a 2-2 draw on the road against newly-promoted Racing Santander this Sunday, August 16, 2026. Trailing by two goals, the Yellow Submarine rallied before the break thanks to their two African internationals, setting the tone for their La Liga campaign.

Villarreal were put on the back foot early in their first match of the season. Away at Racing Santander, the top-flight newcomers, Marcelino's side found themselves 2-0 down after just 35 minutes and looked headed for a nightmare start.

But individual brilliance made the difference. Pape Gueye first narrowed the deficit with a stunning strike from outside the box in the 45th minute, before Nicolas Pépé popped up in first-half stoppage time to curl in a magnificent goal. Two goals in a matter of minutes brought Villarreal level at 2-2 before halftime.

The scoreline remained unchanged after the break. Villarreal thus leave Santander with a precious point, thanks to the two players who had already played a key role in last season's strong finish.

Pape Gueye, once again from distance

Pape Gueye hasn't changed his habits. For his first La Liga match this season, the Senegalese midfielder immediately opened his account with a thunderous strike from outside the area.

This area has become a true specialty for the former Marseille man. Last season, he netted five goals in La Liga, several of them from long range, establishing himself as one of Villarreal's most dangerous midfielders in this aspect. In the 2025-2026 season, Gueye scored 3 of his 5 league goals from outside the box, according to Sporting Life. More broadly, Opta had already identified him as one of the most prolific players in Europe's top five leagues at this skill: he had five goals from outside the box since the start of 2025, tied with Matías Soulé at the time.

His performances were also rewarded as he was named the best African player in La Liga for 2025-2026. With five goals and two assists in the league, Gueye played a major part in Villarreal's impressive third-place finish.

This latest goal on opening day further confirms his development. The Senegalese is no longer just valuable for his midfield work: he's now a consistent attacking threat.

Nicolas Pépé keeps up his momentum

Nicolas Pépé then took over. In first-half stoppage time, the Ivorian produced an exceptional curling shot to bring Villarreal level. Once again, a goal that highlights his ability to make the difference with a moment of individual brilliance.

The former Arsenal man is also coming off a strong campaign with Villarreal. He finished the 2025-2026 season with 8 goals and 8 assists in 36 La Liga matches, underlining his importance in attack.

Pépé finished last season in top form. His energy and creativity helped Villarreal qualify for the Champions League, especially with a standout performance against Levante in a 5-1 win, where he scored once and provided two assists.

His partnership with Pape Gueye is also proving to be a real asset for Villarreal. The two were already decisive last season and seem set to continue in the same vein.

A point to build on

This 2-2 draw is obviously not the ideal result for Villarreal, who might have hoped for more against a newly-promoted side. But coming back from 2-0 down away from home also shows the team's fighting spirit.

And in this comeback, Pape Gueye and Nicolas Pépé once again stepped up. The Senegalese and the Ivorian have started their season on a very positive individual note.

Nouya M'toama

Editorfr, en

Versatile journalist specializing in sports and political news, with extensive experience across radio, print and digital media platforms.

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