Samuel Chukwueze opened his account for Villarreal under new boss Unai Emery in a preseason friendly loss to fellow La Liga side Valencia on Friday.

The 21-year-old Nigerian winger scored his side’s only goal in the ninth-minute in the game which was played at Villarreal’s La Ceramica home.

Valencia turned the game around in the second half, however, as Maximiliano Gomez scored twice in ten minutes to condemn Emery to a second loss in three preseason games.

Chukwueze has featured in all three tune up games, starting twice as the team attempts to find their feet under Emery who replaced Javier Calleja in July.

The Nigerian scored four times and added six assists in 41 appearances in all competitions last season as he struggled to recreate the form that announced him as a special talent in his first year with the Yellow Submarines.

Now in his third year with the first team, Chukwueze will hope to impress Emery sufficiently in preseason to claim a permanent starting shirt for the new season which is set to kick off on 12 September.