1-1: A COMPETITIVE SEVILLA LEAVE DORTMUND WITH A POINT

The positive signs shown by the team last Saturday against Athletic Club were on display again as we came away with a well-earned point in Dortmund.

The point is a step in the right direction against a team who, only six days prior, walked over Sevilla at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán. It also helps in the fight to stay in Europe, equalling Copenhagen's result who managed to draw at home to Manchester City.

The result will no doubt also serve to raise moral in a dressing room that can see better times coming and will be heading to Mallorca this weekend full of motivation to get the win that has been eluding the team.

This season, Sevilla have made a habit of playing their best minutes at the start of the match. Very few were as convincing and competitive as this match though, with the team controlling the ball and creating chances to show for it.

Rakitić would have two chances early on. His second almost found the back of the net, as the Croatian worked his way into the box unmarked and almost turned home a Jesús Navas cross.

And if he wasn't to score, Ivan wanted to contribute in some way to the opener. It came from his right boot which whipped in a wicked free-kick into the box, and it saw Tanguy Nianzou fire home a header for his first goal for the club.

Tanguy Nianzou's first goal for the club came through a fierce header

As against Athletic, Sevilla opened the scoring and it was certainly well deserved. And despite having the lead, the team kept on the front foot, attacking Dortmund's box.

A poor clearance from Marcão allowed Adeyemi in for the Germans' first chance, but he couldn't make the most of it.

Unfortunately a Dortmund goal was to come however, and it came from a familiar face in Jude Bellingham. His shot was deflected off Nianzou which wrong-footed Bono, and the match was back on level terms. Bellingham was nearly back at it shortly after with a shot that went over the bar. 

While Dortmund had more of the ball in the second half, they were not dominant

Far from descending into a game controlled by Dortmund, Sevilla stood strong in the second half. The team did give away more possession than in the first half, but their clever positioning kept them solid defensively.

The best chances came for Sevilla, too. Januzaj and Lamela had big chances, with Lamela denied at point-blank range by Kobel after a corner.

Dortmund pushed for the win at the end of the match, and Sampaoli reacted accordingly and looked to take the heat out of the match.

While the team had at times looked the most likely to win the game, a draw in the circumstances was certainly not a point to be thrown away.

Marcão, who stood out again after his display against Athletic Club, came off at the end in what Sampaoli described as "tiredness more than anything."