Ayari and O'Riley strike to see off Las Palmas

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Charlie Hanson

2025-07-21T19:55+01:00

Yasin Ayari put Albion in front after 16 minutes.

Albion rounded off their pre-season training camp in Spain with a comfortable 2-0 win over Las Palmas.

Having beaten Stoke City 3-1 on Wednesday last week, two goals early in the first half ensured Albion weren’t going to see their run of wins in pre-season ended.

Matt O’Riley was at the centre of the action from early on as he saw his header from close range deflected towards the bottom corner and well kept out by keeper Dinko Horkas.

The Dane showed selflessness though to put Albion in front after 16 minutes. Having been played in by a smart Danny Welbeck pass, O’Riley opted to square it for Yasin Ayari to tap in, rather than go for goal from a more difficult angle.

Lewis Dunk congratulates Matt O'Riley for his well taken goal.

He was immediately rewarded as defender Juan Hergoz played it straight to the former Celtic man, who took a touch and curled an effort into the bottom left corner from 30 yards, with Horkas caught in no man’s land.

O’Riley’s cross was then headed into the hands of Horkas by Mats Wieffer, before Kaoru Mitoma saw his effort from the edge of the area pushed wide by the Las Palmas stopper.

It should have been 3-0 just before the break when Jack Hinshelwood met O’Riley’s ball from the right, but the U21 Euros winner nodded the ball down into the ground and over the crossbar.

The second half didn’t get off to an ideal start with Facundo Buonanotte limping off after 55 minutes, with Ayari coming back onto the pitch after playing the opening 45 minutes.

Callum Mackley played the entirety of the second half.

Carl Rushworth was called into action 20 minutes into the second 45 as he denied Sory Kaba after the forward raced in on goal, but his effort was straight into the body of the onrushing Albion keeper.

Fabian Hurzeler’s side went close to adding a third in the 70th minute when Yankuba Minteh snatched possession on the right of the box and ran at goal, but his strike from an acute angle smacked the base of the post.

Andrew Moran was filling in at right back and pulled off the tackle of the game as Pedro Meijas raced in on goal and seemed to have enough time to pick his spot, but Albion’s Irishman slid in to poke the ball behind for a corner, for which he received a few complimentary smacks on the back of the head.

James Milner’s drive from 20 yards late on drifted just over the crossbar, but the game otherwise had a tame finish.