Villarreal 1 - Benfica 1

Villarreal: Viera; Kromkamp, Gonzalo Rodríguez, César Arzo, Arruabarrena (Josico 46'); Cazorla, Tacchinardi (Roger 84'), Riquelme, Sorín; José Marí (Figueroa 79'), Diego Forlán. 4-4-2.
Benfica: Quim (Rui Nereu 28'); Nélson, Luisao, Anderson, Ricardo Rocha; Petit Karagounis (Karyaka 65'), Manuel Fernandes, Simao; Geovanni (Beto 91'), Nuno Gomes. 4-4-2.

Goals:
1-0. 72. Riquelme (penalty). After Sorín brought down by Rocha in penalty area.
1-1. 77. Fernandes. Struck looping shot over top of Viera from outside of area.

Villarreal were unable to hold on to a one goal lead against Benfica, and with three draws from their opening games are currently lying third in their group table. The Spaniards were bettered in the first half by Ronald Koeman's side, who could have gone ahead had Nuno Gomes not fired a shot over the bar from a couple of yards out. Two ex Barcelona players Simao and Geovanni had both gone close before that, and the locals' first shot at goal didn't come until the half hour mark when José Marí fired a shot just wide of the far post.

Pellegrini brought on Josico at the break and for a short while his team were on top, reserve keeper Rui Nereu (who had replaced the injured Quim in the first half) making a spectacular save from Cazorla after Riquelme put him through. Sorín and Forlán also tested Nereu before a long Riquelme pass found Sorín, who was bundled over in the penalty area. Riquelme stepped up to make history at the Madrigal stadium with Villarreal's first official Champions League goal.

The lead only lasted five minutes though before Fernandes picked up a pass from a colleague and struck a dipping hot over the head of Viera, who caught off his line. It was a killer blow, but things could even have been worse had Nuno Gomes not shot straight at the keeper when free in front of goal late on. As it was Villarreal had their third point in the mini-league, but with Benfica and Manchester United ahead of them and away games to come against both, Pellegrini's side need to buck their ideas up if they are to make it to the last sixteen.