Match reports

2-3: SEVILLA FC PICK UP A VITAL THREE POINTS IN OUR QUEST FOR THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SPOTS

21/04/2022
A brace from Tecatito and a header from Koundé were enough to counter Morales' penalty, who would go on to miss one later on, and Soldado's late goal

What an important win tonight for Sevilla FC this Thursday night at the Ciutat de Valencia against Levante UD. It wasn't an easy one, with Levante fighting to stay up, but Julen Lopetegui's team managed to return to winning ways away from home and push towards the objective of qualifying for the Champions League next year. Sevilla should have seen the game off earlier, with the team going in front twice through Tecatito. Koundé scored the third ten minutes from time, but Soldado would make sure the end to the game would be exciting by cutting the gap. Morales also missed a penalty that would have seen the game go two-all.

Sevilla were the dominant team in the first half as we went in front through our Mexican winger, but we would have to put ourselves back in the lead after a controversial penalty levelled the game. Tecatito opened his account for the club in the 14th minute after a great assist from Ocampos after En-Nesyri had won the ball back. Ocampos had tried his own luck before that, but his shot was too close to Cárdenas in nets. The controversy would come in the 21st minute. A shot from Levante ricocheted onto Diego Carlos' arm, with two Levante players offside from the initial shot.

Tecatito and Ocampos would register two goals and two assists in the first half

The referee, at the prompting of VAR, went over to the screen and decided to award a penalty, completely disregarding the natural position the Brazilian found himself in. Morales would step up to bring the scoreline back level, despite the Moroccan guessing correctly and almost preventing the equaliser. However, Lopetegui's side recovered well and fast, as in the 26th, five minutes later, they were back in the lead. Tecatito again, after an Ocampos pass, was on hand to put the ball past Cárdenas after the Argentine's pass. From there on until the break, Sevilla barely allowed Lisci's side to trouble Bono, with Koundé even having a good chance to score the third from a corner.         

Levante UD started the second half with the urge to find an equaliser. Bono, who was featuring in Sevilla colours for the one-hundredth time, carried out a double save in the first ten minutes preventing Melero, a superb save with his foot after the midfielder's shot. Sevilla shook off some of the Levante pressure and went close with Ocampos' header that went just wide of the goal. Now past the halfway point of the second half, Levante were back applying pressure on the visitors' goal with Acuña having to deny Bardhi from close range. The following Levante attacking phase would again result in a penalty for the home side.                                                                    

Ocampos first and then Rafa Mir, both inches away from finishing off Levante after Morales' missed penalty

A challenge from Acuña inside the area on Miramón led to the Argentinian making contact and the Levante player went to ground with Díaz de Mera awarding a penalty. Morales, who once again stepped up, sent his effort wide to the left of Bono, who once again had gone the correct way. It was then that Sevilla started to believe that they could get the points away from home and took a step forward at the Ciutat de Valencia. There were two clear chances for Ocampos and Rafa Mir who were thwarted by Cárdenas, which could have finished off the game in the last ten minutes. They were two headers after passes from Montiel and Tecatito that the home side’s goalkeeper made well timed interventions to keep out.

And with Sevilla FC searching for the goal, they ended up finding it. A corner taken by Rakitic was headed in after a majestic jump from Jules Koundé, who, helped by the post, added a third to the scoreboard for the red and whites. But the there was no respite for Sevilla until the final whistle. When it all seemed done and dusted, Morales disposed Montiel on a counterattack that could have been a fourth for Sevilla, before then assisting Soldado from distance. In the next play, with Julen Lopetegui’s side trying to put the game to bed, a clearance from Bono was blocked by Soldado and miraculously bounced wide of the Moroccan’s goal. Sevilla had to dig in but survived until the last minute and after seven away games in La Liga they returned to seal a win that took they closer to their Champions League aim.

GAME SUMMARY

2. LEVANTE UD: Cárdenas, Rober Pier, Postigo (Duarte, 39'), Vezo (Cantero, 75'), Miramón (Saracchi, 75'), Son, Radoja, Pepelu, Melero (Bardhi, 65'), Dani Gómez (Soldado, 75') and Morales.

3. SEVILLA FC: Bono, Jesús Navas (Montiel, 55'), Koundé, Diego Carlos, Acuña (Augustinsson, 84'), Jordán (Delaney, 55'), Rakitic, Papu Gómez (Ó. Torres, 72'), Ocampos, Tecatito and En-Nesyri (Rafa Mir, 72').

GOALS: 0-1 Tecatito, 14'. 1-1 Morales (penalty), 21'. 1-2 Tecatito, 26'. 1-3 Koundé, 82'. 2-3 Soldado, 87'.

REFEREE: Díaz de Mera. Yellows for Jordán, Pepelu, Montiel, Acuña and Rafa Mir.