Monchengladbach 2 - 3 Sevilla - Sevilla squeeze through in Germany - 7M sport

Monchengladbach 2 - 3 Sevilla - Sevilla squeeze through in Germany



Posted Friday, February 27, 2015 by PA

Sevilla put aside their domestic problems to move into the last 16 of the Europa League - although the reigning champions were made to sweat by Borussia Monchengladbach before claiming a 3-2 second-leg win.

Sevilla, boasting a 1-0 lead from the first leg, twice took an early lead at the BayArena through goals Carlos Bacca and Machin Vitolo but Monchengladbach struck back both times through Granit Xhaka and Thorgan Hazard.

The holders were then indebted to several fine saves from Sergio Rico to keep them ahead on aggregate before Monchengladbach's challenge suffered a setback when they lost Xhaka to a 70th-minute red card.

Even with 10 men Gladbach still looked a threat, with Hazard hitting the post, but Vitolo's second of the match late on finally ended the German club's hopes.

Sevilla had lost three of their last four Primera Divison matches but once again found the Europa League - a competition they have won three times in the last nine years - a welcome change of scenery.

It took Unai Emery's men just eight minutes to get their noses in front on Thursday and double their aggregate lead as Bacca got ahead of defender Martin Stranzl to divert in Alex Vidal's low cross.

The hosts hit back with a vengeance, though, and Christoph Kramer, Alvaro Dominguez and Raffael all tried their luck before Xhaka made it 1-1 in the 19th minute with a low shot that Rico probably should have done better with.

That scoreline lasted just seven minutes before Sevilla retook the lead following a devastating counter-attack, which saw Vitolo race from the halfway line, step outside a defender and drill a left-footed shot into the far top corner via Yann Sommer's outstretched hand.

A breathtaking start to the match continued as Gladbach made it 2-2 on the night after just 29 minutes.

A fortuitous deflection off Raffael fell kindly to Hazard in the box, and the on-loan Chelsea man took the ball down on his chest before firing past Rico.

Rico had no chance on the occasion, but he did superbly to keep the Foals from netting more goals before the break, parrying efforts from Patrick Herrmann and Kramer.

Both keepers earned their wages at the start of the second half, Sommer brilliantly denying Bacca and Vidal either side of another fine stop by Rico from a Xhaka 25-yarder.

The tie looked like it could go either way, but Sevilla were given a major boost 20 minutes from time when Xhaka was shown a second yellow card.

Still the chances fell at both ends, Hazard hitting the post before Vicente Iborra headed against the bar for Sevilla.

Gladbach could not find the goal they needed, however, and Sevilla ended the contest 11 minutes from time when Vitolo slotted home his second to seal a 4-2 aggregate triumph.



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