Match reports

2-1: A FINE COMEBACK AGAINST A TRICKY CELTA KEEPS SEVILLA HUNTING NEAR THE TOP

18/11/2017

Sevilla returned to football after the international break to face RC Celta and despite difficulties at the back, Berizzo's side showed tremendous spirit to overturn Maxi Gómez' opener with goals from Muriel and Nolito. Sevilla remain in the hunt for Champions League football with three valuable points

Sevilla FC returned to league football with a win despite going behind early in the first-half. Maxi Gómez' goal got the visitors off to a flyer, but two headers - one from Muriel and one from Nolito - gave Sevilla an impressive turnaround against Juan Carlos Unzué's side. The win was watched by a packed house in Nervión, which can only bode well for Tuesday's game with Liverpool.

The first to threaten after a wonderful Muriel pass was Franco Vázquez, who on two minutes found himself one on one with Rubén Blanco. It wasn't to be for 'el Mudo' and Celta responded with venom. Unzué's gameplan could not have got off to a better start. On just 12 minutes, a Pione Sisto free-kick was headed home by Maxi Gómez, looping over David Soria. Sevilla took control of the ball and did everything they could to create but things were not quite coming together for the home side, with a makeshift centre-back partnership of Geis and Lenglet kept Celta at bay.

Maxi Gómez broke the deadlock for Celta

Vázquez tried his luck once again with a volley that went just over but Celta responded with a golden chance that Maxi couldn't convert. A packed Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán turned the volume up to will on their side. Vázquez had another chance to find an equaliser after a blistering run, and cross from Muriel but saw his curling effort fly just over.

Ten minutes from the break, a free-kick taken by Geis from the right-hand side and a fine header from Muriel put Sevilla back in the game. The last ten minutes of the first half clearly belonged to the Sevillistas, with even a clear opportunity for Nolito blocked by the foot of Rubén. Luckily, the team were able to take advantage of their momentum and took their momentum into the second-half. Not five minutes from the restart, a fantastic cross from Sarabia found Nolito who headed wonderfully to the far corner to make it 2-1.

Nolito took advantage of a wonderful Sarabia cross to put Sevilla in front

The hardest part was done but it wasn't over yet. Maxi Gómez had the best chance to find an equaliser after a rebound from a Soria save but couldn't find the net. Berizzo gave his side calm with the inclusion of Banega and Kjaer, with the latter replacing Corchia. Los Nervionenses controlled the situation well, though the tightness of the scoreline made for some nervous viewing towards the end. Celta came closest in the 87^th minute with a fierce Wass free-kick that Soria just managed to keep out.

Three more points that keep Sevilla FC hunting around the European spots before what has to be considered the most important game of the season next week. Liverpool come to the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán on Tuesday, where a win would guarantee a place in the Champions League knock-out stages.