The match began with Villarreal scoring twice in the first 16 minutes. Nicolas Pepe scored the first goal in the 7th minute, capitalizing on a defensive mistake and sliding the ball past the Girona goalkeeper. Then, in the 16th minute, Tajon Buchanan showed incredible speed and power to score a stunning goal, collecting the ball on the right flank and firing it into the net.
The home team continued to press forward, and in the 25th minute, they added a third goal. A short corner routine led to a ball being whipped to the far post, where Rafa Marin nodded in. Just three minutes later, in the 28th minute, Sergi Cardona slid a ball into the box for Buchanan to prod home.
The home side then coasted through the rest of the first half, with little reason to press forward. The away team, on the other hand, seemed defeated, already looking forward to the final whistle. The misery was further compounded in the 64th minute when Buchanan scored his hat-trick, rounding off a stunning evening.
The final half hour was almost like a training exercise for Villarreal, who have started the season strongly, winning two games in a row while scoring seven goals and conceding none. Girona, on the other hand, are struggling, having lost their two games this season. They had finished in the top four two seasons ago but are now facing a difficult start to the season.