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2-2: SEVILLA TWICE COME FROM BEHIND TO COME AWAY WITH A POINT

22/06/2020
Entradilla
Sevilla trailed 2-1 at half time but equalised and dominated in the second half. Munir's leveller gave Lopetegui's men hope, but it ended in a third consecutive draw
Cuerpo Superior

It's becoming more and more clear, football is based on matches within matches. Villarreal did not fully dominate in any phase in the first half at La Cerámica this evening, but they took their chances and obliged Sevilla to change. The Nervionenses, unbeaten since their tip to Balaídos, accpeted the challenge and equalised twice through stunning goals from Escudero and Munir. Sevilla, in blue today, deserved to score a third and take all three points against a Villarreal side who ended up tiring quickly, but the match ended 2-2. 

Sevilla came out as they usually do away from home. They had the ball and tried to take the game to Villarreal. They came close twice in the opening five minutes: an En-Nesyri cross was met by Koundé but his shot fizzed comfortably wide, and Koundé turned provider just minutes later but the Moroccan could not get on the end of his cross. Sevilla were not getting Villarreal any space, but the yellows needed just one chance to put themselves in front. Anguissa's chance from a cross was saved by Vaclík, but the rebound fell kindly for Alcácer who fired beyond the Czech international. 

Villarreal had three first-half chances and scored two

It was a blow for Sevilla, who then focused their play down the right hand side in search of an equaliser but were lacking in the final pass. Ironically, their equaliser late on in the half came from the left hand side. Escudero came forward unchallenged and unleashed a powerful drive from outside the box, leaving Asenjo with no chance. The referee had initially signalled for one minute of added time, but, as the physios needed to check on Escudero, the added time was extended to four minutes. In the fourth minute of added time, Pau Torres headed home unmarked at the near post from a Cazorla corner that could well have been avoided. A hammer blow just before the interval.

Cuerpo Inferior

Lopetegui responded to the setback with three substitutes at the break, bringing on Navas, Ocampos and Munir, and the team began to dominate from this point onwards. On the hour mark, Navas's cross found Jordán, and his header was somehow denied by Asenjo. However, four minutes later, the Spanish goalkeeper was powerless to stop Munir's left footed drive, again coming from a Navas cross on the right hand side

Gerard Moreno nearly gave Villarreal the lead straight from the restart with a chip, but Koundé, for the third consecutive game, made a sensational goal-line clearance before the offside flag could be raised. Villarreal looked to falter physically and Sevilla looked to take full advantage. Franco Vázquez came on to boost the side's creativity as the side pushed up and had more chances. De Jong, the final substitute, saw a goal disallowed for offside before having a header superbly saved by Asenjo.

Sevilla continued to push forward, but the Nervionenses ended up taking just a point for the third consecutive match after the derby win in the first match since the league restarted. For the moment, Sevilla are third, and they also maintain their five point lead over the yellows. The next match will take place on Friday at 22:00, at home to Valladolid.

MATCH STATISTICS

2. VILLARREAL CF: Asenjo, Mario Gaspar, Albiol, Pau Torres, Alberto Moreno, Anguissa, Iborra  (Bruno Soriano, 88'), Chukwueze (Trigueros, 72'), Cazorla (Moi Gómez, 57'), Alcácer (Bacca, 88') and Gerard Moreno (Ontiveros, 72').

2. SEVILLA FC: Vaclík, Koundé, Sergi Gómez (Jesús Navas, 46'), Diego Carlos, Escudero, Joan Jordán (Franco Vázquez, 62'), Fernando, Banega, Suso (Ocampos, 46), Rony Lopes (46') and En Nesyri (De Jong, 80').

GOALS: 1-0, 18': Alcácer; 1-1, 39': Escudero; 2-1, 45+4': Pau; 2-2, 63': Munir; 

REFEREE: José María Sánchez Martínez, from Murcia. Yellow cards for Sergi Gómez, Fernando, Ocampos, Alberto Moreno, Trigueros and Bruno Soriano.