Sevilla revives at Old Trafford and achieves an in extremis tie in eight minutes

Sevilla, the king of the Europa League, offered one more and certainly unexpected chapter in their idyll with their favorite competition. After Manchester United got the better of them in the first half in a big way, Sevilla equalized a 0-2 down in the final stretch of the clash thanks to their faith, to how badly United managed the second half and to two very fortunate caused by Navas and En-Nesyri, masterminds of that tie no matter how well the goals were assigned to Malacia and Maguire at their own goal. Soccer sometimes offers situations that surpass any analysis. Sevilla, a disaster in the first half, escaped very alive from a mythical stadium like Old Trafford. When they had lost everything after being clearly surpassed, the mystique that this team has in this competition came to light with a draw in extra time that gives it a lot of life. Jose Luis Mendilibar knew how to rectify his weak approach in the first act in time and then fortune smiled on him in the final minutes. United, who enjoyed several chances at 2-0, decided to stop and wait for an opponent who seemed dead. It did not have the epic of a team that feels like its own a competition in which it never gives up.

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De Gea, Lisandro Martinez (undefined, min. 86), Tyrell Malacia, Varane (Harry Maguire, min. 45), Wan-Bissaka, Casemiro, Antony (Pellistri, min. 80), M. Sabitzer, Bruno Fernandes (Eriksen, min. 62), Jadon Sancho (Anthony Elanga, min. 62) and Anthony Martial (Wouter Weghorst, min. 62)

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Bono, Marcos Acuna, Marcao, Montiel (Papu Gomez, min. 90), Nianzou Tanguy Kouassi (Suso, min. 73), Oliver Torres (Jesus Navas, min. 45), Lucas Ocampos, Rakitic, Fernando, Gudelj and Lamela ( En-Nesyri, min 66)

goals 1-0 min. 14: M. Sabitzer. 2-0 min. 20: M. Sabitzer. 2-1 min. 84: Tyrell Malacia (pp). 2-2 min. 92: Harry Maguire (pp).

Referee Felix Zwayer

Yellow cards Montiel (min. 11), Rakitic (min. 25), Lamela (min. 38), Bruno Fernandes (min. 40), Gudelj (min. 57), Antony (min. 64), Marcos Acuna (min. 71) and Pellistri (min. 89)

The game for Sevilla looked so bad that everyone accepted the 2-0 score in the first act. Now, the Andalusians, who are suffering a lot in the League, bring a good result for the return, in a week and under the protection of their people in Pizjuan. United, a great team, was not great. He had previously eliminated Barcelona and Betis. After crushing Sevilla, they became a very conservative team. He ended up paying for it. Ten Hag took the best men from him and direly managed a match he had won. He did not count on the fortune of his rival.

An abyss separated United from Sevilla. An important distance in football that Mendilibar decided to widen with a very risky lineup in such an intimidating scenario. If the big problem that Sevilla has expressed throughout the course is its defensive weakness, placing an unprecedented defense with two center backs like Nianzou and Marcao, who have only played three games together, was an invitation to attack a United of fast transitions and very vertical internships.

Without many of its starters, perhaps thinking more about the league match against Valencia next Sunday, with one and the other flirting with relegation, the first half was an absolute ordeal for a Sevilla overcome by the fieryness and combinations of the red devils. The locals, very well led by Bruno Fernandes, overcame Sevilla’s defensive system time and time again, with their two central defenders always out of place and defensive midfielders like Fernando and Gudelj chasing ghosts. After 30 seconds, Sancho had already scored, but the goal was disallowed for offside. After 20 minutes, two goals from Sabitzer had already placed a disturbing 2-0 on the scoreboard.

The Austrian’s position was an enigma for Sevilla. Embedded as a center forward, he left Marcao as he wanted to score the first goal and entered the race only after a great pass from Martial and scoring the second.

Those of Mendilibar, without a center forward, showed a certain danger when he appeared in the United area. However, his terrible organization in defense and the lack of forcefulness condemned him to the continuous counterattacks of those from Manchester. The English team, favorites to win the title, arrived en masse in the Andalusian area. Casemiro was able to make the third and Bono made the save against Sabitzer, now clearly a striker. Everything, before the astonished gaze of Mendilibar and the 700 Sevilla fans who had traveled to Manchester. Only in the last play of the first half, a shot from Nianzou after a corner kick was very well cleared by De Gea. Varane then saved under sticks. Sevilla, at least, only lost 2-0 at halftime.

Sevilla adjusted lines and improved their defensive performance. His men positioned themselves better. Between that step forward and the conservative character of United, the Andalusians got into the clash. Nobody, however, could expect the final fireworks: two goals in eight minutes. A ball into the small area by Navas was pushed towards his goal by Malacia. Lisandro Martinez was injured when United had made all the changes and Sevilla insisted. He was lucky. A shot into nowhere from En-Nesyri was touched by Maguire and entered. Seville is incredible.

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