Without being brilliant and with a lot of suffering until the end, Sevilla extended for a few hours their tiny hopes of qualifying for the round of 16 of the Champions League after a somewhat misleading win against Copenhagen. Apparently an excessively strong result that served only to qualify for the Europa League, as the Andalusian team ultimately depended on Borussia Dortmund and they added the point they needed against Manchester City. The Andalusians will continue their journey in the Europa League. [See the results of the Champions League].
The game was a sample of what Sevilla is this season. A team with difficulties to create, that does not easily find its attacking men and that in defense lives in constant shock. Copenhagen, a sticky and uncomfortable rival, had life in Pizjuán until almost the end, when a magnificent goal from Isco in the 88th sealed the duel. Montiel rounded off the win already in discount.
Until then victory was in the air. In fact, the Danes enjoyed the best chances until the sentence of the Andalusians. Twice they sent the ball into the woodwork, before and after En-Nesyri's goal, and Dmitrovic was much more of a protagonist than Gravara, his counterpart in goal.
During the first half, Sampaoli's men were unable to find the rival goal. Copenhagen planted two lines of four in their own field and closed the interior spaces to Isco. He also took the opportunity to go out with speed on the counterattack thanks to the speed of Haraldsson and the skill of Daramy, two semi-unknowns who drove Sevilla's defense crazy.
After the break the game went crazy. Clem hit the woodwork after a poor clearance from Dmitrovic and soon after En-Nesyri converted a fantastic cross to score the first with a header. Those from Sampaoli then tried to sleep the duel with long possessions, but the Danes would not give their arm to twist. Diks had the equalizer in an unmarked header that went to the crossbar after a throw-in.
Copenhagen deserved more, but in the end the talent of Sevilla appeared to finish off the job. First Isco got the sentence with a great cross shot from outside the area and already in injury time, and with the rival one less due to Khotcholava's expulsion, Montiel scored the third on a counterattack.
Check the Champions League standings.
3 - Seville: Dmitrovic; Montiel, Gudelj, Marcao, Alex Telles; Jordan; Suso (Lamela, m.54), Rakitic, Isco, Papu Gómez (Acuña, m.77); Dolberg (En-Nesyri, m.46) (Rafa Mir, m.70).
0 - Copenhague: Grabara; Jelert (Sorensen, m.81) Kocholava, Lund (Diks, m.81), Kristiansen; Lerager, Claesson, Clem (Oskarsson, m.81); Johannesson (Bardghji, m.63), Haraldsson (Cornelius, m.72), Daramy.
Goals: 1-0, M.61: En-Nesyri. 2-0, M.88: Isco. 3-0, M.92: Montiel.
Referee: Benoit Bastien (France). He expelled the Copenhagen player Khocholava (m.94) with a direct red card, for a hard tackle on Isco. In addition, he admonished the locals Lamela (m.72) and Montiel (m.78), and the visitors Claesson (m.69) and Sorensen (m.86).
Incidents: Match of the fifth day in Group G of the Champions League, played at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán stadium before 29,884 spectators, including about 1,500 Danes.
