Sarabia del Sevilla FC ante el Real Betis
Match reports

3-5: CHAOTIC GRAN DERBI ENDS SEVILLA'S UNDEFEATED HOME RUN

06/01/2018
Betis managed a win in a Seville Derby which saw Sevilla come from behind twice - and keep the game alive until the very last play despite conceding five goals. The first came after just 23 seconds

Sevilla FC's run of over one year undefeated in the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán ended in the most painful game possible this Saturday. Betis managed to break their negative run of results in the Seville Derby with one of the most unlikely results of the season. They snatched three points in a game that saw Montella's side come from behind twice in the first-half to put the teams level at the break. A Betis flurry in the second-half gave the visitors a 2-4 lead that seemed impossible to overcome. Though Lenglet would prove Sevilla's spirit by finding a third goal for the home side, Betis would kill the game with the last kick of the game, when Sevilla had thrown everyone - including Sergio Rico - forward to try and find an equaliser. 

It's difficult to imagine a start much worse than conceding 23 seconds into the derby but it was exactly the start Sevilla faced after a sloppy pass allowed Fabián to fire a curling left-footed strike past Sergio Rico. Spurred on by the nightmare start, Sevilla dominated the game and played directly - trapping Betis in their own half for the majority of the first-half. 

Fabián's goal after just 23 seconds gave Sevilla the worst imaginable start to the derby

An Escudero free-kick - converted by the outstretched leg of Wissam Ben Yedder - would give Sevilla a deserved equaliser after quarter of an hour. It was a reward that was harshly snatched from the home side with a goal from Feddal less than ten minutes later. His header from Joaquín's free-kick was Betis' second chance of the half and gave Betis their second goal. Sevilla came out fighting again, and five minutes from time Sevilla would equalise again. This time, a header from Simon Kjaer would canon off the crossbar to level the scores before half-time.  An intense 45 minutes ended with Sevilla pressing and the Sevilla faithful believing in a win. 

The second-half seemed a totally different game. After a breathless first, play became more disjointed. Bringing Correa on for Vázquez, Montella looked for flair in attack but it would be Betis who would strike less than ten minutes after the restart. After a long period of Betis possession, Durmisi arrived late in the Sevilla box and slotted a curling cross past Rico. With barely the time to process the blow, Sergio León gave Betis a third, finishing off a one on one with the side of his boot. Sevilla now had a huge mountain to climb.

Despite going behind, Sevilla fought to keep the game alive until the very last minute

There was under half an hour to go and the task seemed impossible. A fine header from Clement Lenglet minutes after Betis' fourth gave Sevilla hope and put the score at 3-4 with 25 minutes to go. While Betis looked to impose a calm passing game, Sevilla pushed forwards - often with more heart than head. The home side attacked and attacked until the dying moments of the derby. Pushing Sergio Rico forward for a free-kick in the last seconds of the game, Betis found a fifth to finish the game off on the counter. 

A painful loss that will not help in Sevilla's quest for a Champions League place. Attention now turns to the Copa del Rey - Cádiz come to the Sánchez-Pizjuán next Thursday in the return leg of the round of 16 of the domestic cup.