Villarreal defeated Lech Poznań 4-3 in the first round of Group C’s Conference League fixtures, to stretch their unbeaten run to eight games. Villarreal are flying in the league, having not lost in four outings, whilst holding an incredible record as the only top-flight club from Europe’s 15 highest ranked member associations to have not conceded a league goal in 2022/23. Manager Unai Emery made changes to the entire eleven who defeated Elche 4-0 last time out however, and Villarreal were shocked inside two minutes when a quite calamitous spell of passing in their backline resulted in Michał Skóraś tapping into an empty net.Villarreal’s inexperienced side bounced back impressively and found their cutting edge against a Poznań outfit that has not advanced beyond the group stage of a European competition since 2010/11. Although it took a moment of magic, as Samuel Chukwueze’s stunning 15-yard volley left visiting ‘keeper Filip Bednarek grasping at thin air. One quickly became two when Álex Baena’s effort from outside the area took a cruel deflection before rippling the net, and Baena grabbed his second of the half with a clever turn and finish.In a steamy Ciutat de Valencia, the temporary home of the hosts due to refurbishments on the Estadio de la Cerámica, Poznań struck back immediately after the break, as Villarreal defender Aïssa Mandi was adjudged to have handled the ball in the area, before Mikael Ishak smashed home confidently from the spot.This wasn’t the same Submarine that reached the Champions League semi-finals last campaign and it told when they were sumptuously ripped apart from Skóraś’ cutting through ball, before Ishak did the honours with a composed side-foot finish. An end-to-end contest ensued with Villarreal always looking the more likely to find the winner, and find it they did, with a quite stunning volley from Yéremy Pino settling an fantastically entertaining contest for the neutral.The victory in spite of a changed lineup reinforced the idea that Villarreal are one of the heavy favourites in this competition and Unai Emery will be highly satisfied with his side’s display ahead of their visit to Real Betis in La Liga on Sunday.Elsewhere, West Ham did it the hard way to secure their first win in eight attempts against Romanian opposition, coming from behind to beat FCSB 3-1 in the Conference League at the London Stadium.Despite boasting the lion’s share of possession in the opening stages, it was FCSB who worked the first openings on goal. Andrea Compagno forced a smart stop out of Alphonse Areola inside the opening five minutes, before the Italian was on hand again to flick Andrei Cordea’s corner over the bar from close range. West Ham couldn’t say they hadn’t been warned by FCSB, and it was the 3000 strong travelling contingent who celebrated an opener. Darius Olaru’s lung-busting run from deep resulted with his inch-perfect ball across the six-yard box being slammed home at the far post by Cordea to hand FCSB a half-time lead.Considering West Ham were trailing, there was limited urgency to their play, but they were given a get out of jail free card when a collision between Maxwel Cornet and Ștefan Târnovanu saw West Ham awarded a penalty, which after a lengthy stoppage for treatment to Cornet, Jarrod Bowen duly converted. With 20 minutes left, that equaliser breathed new life into the Hammers and another of David Moyes’ substitutes almost poked West Ham in front seconds after the equaliser, but his effort trickled wide of the post.Pressure did eventually bear fruit for West Ham though, when in rather fortuitous circumstances, the ball fell kindly to Emerson Palmieri on his Hammers European debut and his fierce effort squirmed beneath a desperate Târnovanu. In truth from then on it was rather straightforward for West Ham, who wrapped up three points to open their Conference League campaign through Michail Antonio and inflicted an 11th-straight winless game on English soil on FCSB.UEFA CONFERENCE LEAGUEThursdayFiorentina – Rigas Futbola Skola 1-1 (0-0)/Barak 56 – Ilic 75/Heart of Midlothian – Başakşehir FK 0-4 (0-1)/Kaldirim 26, Ndayishimiye 67, Kingsley 75 og, Ozcan 82/RSC Anderlecht – Silkeborg IF 1-0 (0-0)/Silva 81 pen/Austria Wien – Hapoel Be’er Sheva 0-0Villarreal – Lech Poznań 4-3 (3-1)/Chukwueze 32, Baena 36, 40, Coquelin 89- Skoras 2, Ishak 47 pen, 62/FC Slovácko – FK Partizan 3-3 (2-0)/Kalabiska 5, 20, Kozak 83 – Diabate 47, 53, Gomes 53/OGC Nice – FC Köln 1-1 (0-1)/Delort pen 62 – Tigges 19/KF Ballkani – CFR Cluj 1-1 (0-0)/Thaci 65 – Yuri Matias 90+1/FC Vaduz – Apollon Limassol 0-0SC Dnipro-1 – AZ Alkmaar 0-1 (0-0)/de Wit 63/Molde FK – KAA Gent 0-0Shamrock Rovers – Djurgårdens IF 0-0Sivasspor – Slavia Praha 1-1 (1-1)/Saba 27 – Olayinka 4/FC Basel – Pyunik Yerevan 3-1 (1-1)/Males 23 pen, Burger 54, 76 – Dasyan 27/ŠK Slovan Bratislava – FK Žalgiris 0-0West Ham United – FCSB 3-1 (0-1)/Bowen 68 pen, Emerson 75, Antonio 90 – Cordea 34/***odds are subject to change©FlashScore
