Samuel Chukwueze emerged victorious in a battle with fellow Super Eagle star Ramon Azeez as Villarreal recorded their third straight win and clean sheet with a 1-0 win at the Estadio Nuevo Los Carmenes on Friday.

Gerard Moreno scored what proved to be the winner in the 11th minute to keep the Yellow Submarines unbeaten since the restart and consolidate their pursuit of a European place.

The win puts Javi Calleja’s men level on 47 points with 6th-placed Real Sociedad having played a game more.

Both Super Eagles players started on the bench and were introduced within minutes of each other with Azeez coming on in the 61st minute for Fede Vico while Chukwueze replaced Javier Ontiveros three minutes later.

Neither, however, had a material impact on the game as Villarreal held on to win.

The defeat leaves Granada with 42 points in 9th with European qualification looking increasingly unlikely.

Meanwhile, Super Eagles duo Kenneth Omeruo and Chidozie Awaziem were on from the start as bottom side Leganes nicked a point at fellow strugglers Real Mallorca.

Antonio Fernandez restored Omeruo to the starting eleven to partner fellow international Awaziem in a three-man defence after leaving him on the bench in the 2-0 loss at Barcelona.

The decision didn’t look to have paid off after Salva Sevilla put the hosts ahead after just nine minutes.

Awaziem was later hooked off for Javier Aviles in the 81st-minute and six minutes later, Leganes were level with Oscar Rodriguez bagging the equaliser.

The draw halts a run of two straight defeats for Leganes who remain bottom with 26 points.

Mallorca, meanwhile, miss the chance to move away from relegation as they stay 18th with 26 points.