SEV 4:1 ESB | Sevilla FC - RCD Espanyol Barcelona (LaLiga)

LaLiga

Bundesliga

Malaga – Granada	4:1 (end)	\|	Elche – Getafe	1:0 (end)	\|	Sevilla – Espanyol	4:1 (end)
Valladolid – Valencia	0:0 (end)

final

Sevilla FC

4:1 (2:0)

RCD Espanyol Barcelona

Sunday 06.04.2014, 19:00 • Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán • LaLiga

		Thank you for following the game with us! The last La Liga game of the day, we present you at 21.00 CET. It's Valladolid vs Valencia! (20:52:22)
		Sevilla now won 7 of their last 8 games and cut the deficit to 4th placed Athletic Bilbao (who play tomorrow an away game against UD Levante) to just three points! Espanyol stay in the middle of the table with no options left for Europe but also no reason to worry about relegation.
		Espanyol gained hope early in the second half after Sergio García transformed a penalty and the guests from Barcelona stayed active and dangerous till the very end of the game. Gameiro with his second of the night after a great one-two combination with Marin and Rakitic after a long ball made it a 4-1 win for Sevilla which might be one or even two goals too high in the end!
		Game over.
	90	Two minutes are added to the regular time.
	89	Goal for Sevilla! A perfect long ball by Pareja for IVAN RAKITIC who stops it brilliantly just in front of the Espanyol box and fires the ball into the right bottom corner to make it 4-1 Sevilla!
	88	With a win today Sevilla are just three points behind Athletic Bilbao who have an away game left against UD Levante on Monday evening.
	86	It looks like this game is over for the guests. Sevilla are looking for the fourth!
	84	Goal for Sevilla! Brilliant overview by Marko Marin in a one-two combination with KEVIN GAMEIRO! First the French forward passed the ball to Marin just in front of the border of the Espanyol box, then Marin send Gameiro with a perfect through ball and Gameiro left Gérman no chance at all with a shot from short distance into the right corner! 3-1 Sevilla!
	83	Sevilla now use their third and last substitution. Vitolo makes place for Jairo.
	83	Clear offside position by Rakitic after a long ball.
	82	Counter opportunity for Espanyol over Córdoba but he is stopped with a sliding tackle by Moreno who plays the ball and wins it for his team.
	82	The corner by Rakitic towards the six-yard box is cleared with a header by an Espanyol defender.
	81	Germán isn't able to stop a deflected ball – corner for Sevilla from the left side.
	81	Jairo is making the last preparations and is supposed to enter the game soon.
	80	10 minutes plus additional time are left to play. Everything still is possible in Sevilla but the time is becoming a more and more important factor in favour of the hosts.
	79	Long ball by the hosts for Gameiro who starts on the right wing but the ball ends up outside of the pitch for an Espanyol throw in.
	77	Rakitic is fouled from behind deep inside the Espanyol half but the situation already had ended due to an offisde call against Gameiro.
	75	Espanyol use their third and last change. Lanzarote enters the pitch for Pizzi.
	74	Second change by Sevilla when one former German national team player substitutes the other. Marko Marin is in the match for the strong Trochowski who made one assist today!
	73	The corner from the left side didn't lead to any danger and also the following shot from about 25 metres distance by Álex went wide a couple of metres to the right.
	73	Again Espanyol in offense but a shot from the second row by Stuani is deflected wide by a defender.
	72	A long ball by the guests is caught by Beto without problems.
	72	Espanyol now see their chance and play with a lot of pressure.
	71	Álex receives a pass at the border of the Sevilla 18-yard box but he doesn't hit the ball well and it is blocked by a defender.
	70	Sergio García tries it with a shot from the left part of the Sevilla box but the angle was a bit too sharp and he only hits the side netting! Espanyol stay very dangerous whenever they appear in front of the home team's net!
	69	Ivan Rakitic with a direct free kick from a half left position towards the right top corner which goes wide significantly.
	67	Vitolo with a well-timed cross from the right wing and a header by Rakitic goes just wide!
	65	Mbia with a foul in the own half and while falling to the ground he kicks an opponent into the stomach! This was definately worth a yellow card which would have been his second or even a direct red card! A lot of luck for the Sevilla midfielder!
	64	The new man in the Espanyol squad, Córdboa, with a powerful but not well-placed shot from about 20 metres distance from a central position! Big save by Beto!
	62	Sevilla's team leader Ivan Rakitic substitutes Carlos Bacca.
	61	The hosts are preparing two changes.
	60	Figueiras (Sevilla) sees a yellow card for a hard foul from behind against Pizzi. Already the third booking for the hosts within 15 minutes.
	58	Córdoba enters the game for Simao. Espanyol head coach Aguirre with an forward for a midfielder.
	58	A long ball is stopped by Gameiro on the left part of the Espanyol defensive area, he leaves behind a defender but then his sharp cross from goes straight into the gloves of Gérman.
	57	After an eventful start into the second half, Sevilla are having the initiative again and try to restore their two-goal lead! Espanyol wait for counters in this away game.
	55	The following Sevilla corner was cleared without problems by the Espanyol defense.
	55	After a corner for Sevilla, the guests have trouble getitng the ball out of their own box. In the end Vitolo tries it from about 18 metres distance but his shot is deflected wide by a defender at cost of another corner!
	53	In the following situation an offensive foul by Mbia against guest goalkeeper Germán ends a Sevilla attack.
	52	Sidnei clears the ball in the Espanyol box just before Gameiro gets a shot on target but while doing so he runs past his own goalkeeper and almost passes the ball into the feet of Vitolo!!!
	50	Stephane Mbia (Sevilla) gets a yellow card for a foul against Javi López!
	50	Espanyol try to use the momentum and they stay in offense!
	47	Goal for Espanyol! SERGIO GARCIA with a hard shot and well placed penalty into the right bottom corner – seen from the shooter – while Beto is on his way into the left bottom corner! Espanyol cut the deficit by the half – 2-1!
	46	Fazio (Sevilla) is the first player of his team to be booked, for the foul against Stuani that led to the penalty!
	46	Just seconds after the start of the second half the Sevilla defense isn't able to clear the ball at their own box and Fazio clearly holds Stuani – penalty shot in favour of Espanyol!
	46	Espanyol with a change in the half time break. Álex enters the pitch for Abraham.
	46	Start of 2nd half.
		In a high quality first half with the focus on offense, Sevilla were the dominating side, had more and better scoring opportunities and gained a deserved 2-0 lead after 45 minutes. The guests Espanyol stay always dangerous though. Stay tuned for the second half!
	45	1st halftime finished.
	44	Goal for Sevilla! Brilliant cross from the right outside lane by Vitolo, KEVIN GAMEIRO stops the ball with his chest just in front of the six-yard box and fires it into the left bottom corner for the 2-0 lead for Sevilla!
	43	The home side lets the ball circulate in their own half and don't want to risk anyhting before the half time pause.
	41	David López (Espanyol) sees the first yellow card of the game for hitting Vitolo with his hands in the face in the fight for the ball.
	39	Fuentes with a volley shot from the distance that goes wide.
	38	Iborra with a hard push against a defender inside the Sevilla box, lucky that the referee didn't see it.
	38	Vitolo clears at cost of the first Espanyol corner of the game which doesn't create much danger though.
	36	The game has calmed down a bit recently.
	33	The corner from the right side was cleared by the guests but Moreno received the ball in a central position and from about 25 metres distance his scoring attempt went a couple of metres over the crossbar.
	32	Fast attack by the home side over the left wing, the ball is deflected to Trochowski whose shot from about 18 metres distance is deflected wide by the back of a defender!
	29	Almost half an hour of an intense game in Sevilla is played with chances on both sides. Sevilla have a deserved 1-0 lead but Espanyol stay dangerous.
	27	The free kick by Simao from about 17 metres distance almost leads to the equalizer as the ball goes below the wall and hits the outside of the right post!
	26	Sergio García goes down in the fight for the ball with Peraja and Moreno at the border of the Sevilla defensive area and the hosts are lucky that it's just a free kick and not a penalty shot as claimed by the guests!
	25	Great dribbling by Bacca who despite being hit by the leg of a defender even finds Vitolo with a through ball to the left part of the Espanyol box but the following shot then goes just wide past the right bottom corner!
	23	Pizzi with a cross towards the right part of the Sevilla box but Stuani loses the aerial duel with his opponent. Espanyol finally with some offense again.
	22	The home team keeps dominating early in this match while Espanyol try to find back into the game.
	20	Sevilla keep the pressure high and almost score again! Alberto Moreno tries it with a shot from the left part of the Espanyol box and his shot goes just wide past the right bottom corner!
	18	Goal for Sevilla! Again Trochowski in the centre of attraction and this time it's good for a goal! Piotr Trochowski with the corner from the right side after earning the corner with the previous shot himself and from close to the near post STEPHANE MBIA scores the 1-0 for Sevilla with a header!
	17	Another distance shot by Trochowski, this time towards the right bottom corner and Germán has to show a quick reaction to clear the ball at cost of a corner!
	16	Piotr Trochowski with a shot from about 22 metres distance from close to the left part of the guest box but the shot goes wide.
	14	On the other side of the pitch a long cross from the left half field by Fuentes ends up with a throw in for Sevilla.
	13	Another offside call against Sevilla.
	12	Vitolo and Trochowski are very active on the wings, put the guest defense under more and more pressure.
	10	Bacca with great ball controll, gives a cross from the right part of the Espanyol area out of the air towards the six-yard box but no team colleague can reach it as a defender clears before Trochowski is there! Sevilla is getting more active now.
	8	Soft cross by Bacca towards the penalty shot point, caught by Germán who has trouble to keep the ball inside the 18-yard box but there was an offside call anyways.
	7	Sergio García enters the Sevilla box from the right side but his scoring attempt is blocked by a defender.
	6	Espanyol play with early, aggressive forechecking while Sevilla are forced back into their own half in these first minutes. Strong start by the guests.
	4	Simao finds Abraham with a through ball but the Espanyol player has barely time to get the ball on target from short distance and Beto who leaves his net blocks the scoring attempt before the rebound – a lob from about 12 metres distance – lands in his gloves.
	3	Slow begin in Sevilla. The guests from Barcelona once appeared near the home team's defensive area but their forward slipped and the chance was gone.
	1	Game started.
		A minute of silence is being held for a former Sevilla player of the 1950s who recently died.
		Starting lineups: Sevilla FC: Beto – Moreno, Fazio, Pareja, Figueiras – Trochowski, Mbia, Iborra, Vitolo – Gameiro, Bacca Espanyol Barcelona: Germán – Fuentes, R.Rodríguez, Sidnei, J.López – Abraham, D.López – Simao, Pizzi, Stuani – S.García Referees: Del Cerro Grande
		Today's home match against Espanyol Barcelona is a crucial one for Sevilla FC in their fight for a Europa League spot – or even more? Sevilla were 5th in the La Liga standings with 50 points in 31 games before this matchday. Both their strongest competitors for an international spot – Real Socoiedad (50 points; 0-4 against Real Madrid) and Villarreal CF (49 points; 0-1 against Atlético Madrid) – lost yesterday. Sevilla are laying "just" six points behind Athletic Bilbao who hold the 4th place for the Champions League qualification and who have to play against Levante UD on the road tomorrow evening. The Andalusians were not only successful in the league in recent months but also in the Europa League where they reached the quarterfinals after throwing out city rivals Real Betis in the previous round in the penalty shootout. On Thursday they lost the first leg in an away game against FC Porto (0-1) though. In La Liga the team from Sevilla won six times in a row before, including a 2-1 home win against Real Madrid, before being beaten by Celta de Vigo (0-1) in their last away match. Espanyol Barcelona had a 2-2-2 record in their last six matches for 8 points but the losses – each with the minimum score – only happened against the first two in the league standings – Atlético Madrid (A, 0-1) and FC Barcelona (H, 0-1). Especially the home loss in the derby against FC Barcelona was bitter due to a late penalty goal by Messi. When both teams met each other for the first time this season, Sevilla claimed a 3-1 win in Barcelona. If they can continue with their positive trends of the recent weeks and months or if Espanyol can surprise them, we'll see soon!
		Welcome. Game starts at 19:00 CET.

Commentary by

Dennis Mende

Goals & lineups

Goals: 18. Mbia, 44. Gameiro, 84. Gameiro, 89. Raktiic – 47. S.García (pen.)

Cards: 46. Fazio (SEV), 50. Mbia (SEV), 60. Figueiras (SEV) – 41. D.López (ESP)

Sevilla FC: Beto – Moreno, Fazio, Pareja, Figueiras – Trochowski (74. Marin), Mbia, Iborra, Vitolo (83. Jairo) – Gameiro, Bacca (62. Rakitic)
Subs: J.Varas, Coke, F.Navarro, Reyes, Jairo (83.), Marin (74.), Rakitic (62.)

RCD Espanyol Barcelona: Germán – Fuentes, R.Rodríguez, Sidnei, J.López – Abraham (46. Álex), D.López – Simao (58. Córdoba), Pizzi (75. Lanzarote), Stuani – S.García
Subs: Pau, Mattioni, Capdevila, V.Álvarez, Álex (46.), Lanzarote (75.), J.Córdoba (58.)

Referees: Del Cerro Grande