Fran Villalba delivers back-to-back winners for Santos Laguna | OneFootball

Fran Villalba is back centre stage, his goals now delivering points for Santos Laguna after years of frequent moves.

According to Superdeporte, the Spaniard has re-emerged as a key figure. He has decided Santos Laguna's last two games in the Mexican Apertura.

At Toluca, Santos trailed 2-0 before the break but recovered. In the 94th minute Villalba drove in from outside the box for 3-2.

Against Pachuca a week later, he converted a first-half stoppage-time penalty for the only goal in a 1-0 win.

They were his first two goals of Apertura 2026, both match-winners. He also has two assists this season.

Santos had seven points after nine rounds and sat second-bottom. Successive wins over Juárez, Toluca and Pachuca lifted them to 10 points from 10, with three wins, one draw and six defeats.

A Valencia academy graduate, Villalba debuted for Mestalla at 16. In December 2015 Gary Neville handed him a Copa del Rey bow against Barakaldo, then a La Liga debut against Villarreal.

He later played for Numancia, Birmingham City, Almería, Sporting de Gijón and Málaga. He joined Santos Laguna from Sporting in summer 2024, is in his third season and contracted until June 2027, aged 28.

Source: Superdeporte

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”