Sevilla 2-2 Espanyol a.e.t, Sevilla win 3-1 on penalties
Watch the goals.
Mira los penales.
A good match with 4 really good goals befitting a Cup final. Sevilla go up 1-0 on a goal you don't see too often- one where the goalie throws it and gets an assist. Espanyol equalize on a great strike and it's 1-1 at the half. In the 67th minute Espanyol have a dude sent off for his 2nd yellow, and after it was one way traffic as Sevilla made all the chances and Espanyol tried to just hold on and then perhaps hope for a miracle counter attack or lucky bounce, otherwise they would try their luck in the penalty shootout. 1-1 after full time and it seemed that Espanyol were tiring and that it was just a matter of time before Sevilla finally got their goal. And in the 105th minute they did just that, as Kanoute poked in a good cross to make it 2-1. 15 minutes left and Espanyol looked resigned to losing, as they couldn't even get the ball. Then with only 4 minutes left they score a wondergoal on what I believe was their first shot since they had the dude sent off in the 67th minute. Very dramatic stuff from the underdogs. 2-2 an on to the lottery of the shootout. Sevilla's goalkeeper saved 3 shots and Sevilla won 3-1.
What a night for Sevilla keeper Palop, saving 3 of 4 shots and also assisting their first goal. Dude is certainly an alltime Sevilla legend when you put this performance on top of what he did in the quarterfinal against Shaktar Donetsk, when facing elimination in the 94th minute they won a corner kick, brought everyone up including the goalkeeper, and Palop scored a last second equalizer and they went on to win in extra time. The stuff of legend and Hollywood films, that.
So congrats to them for becoming only the 2nd team to ever successfully defend their UEFA Cup title.
3 comments:
Sevilla has been the best team in Spain to any fair minded fan. Shame it seems like they won't be able to get the La Liga title. At the same time, I'm pulling for Getafe in the Copa del Rey final, so I'm glad to see that they have won something because they are such a great team. Though, admittedly, when Jonatas scored that wondergoal, I lept out of my seat and jumped around for a while. Espanyol is like the Man City to Barcelona's Manchester United, only with better players and less thuggery. I feel especially bad for de la Pena and Raul Tamudo, next year boys! Next year! (On a related note, Espanyol won La Liga in my Football Manager game, so ya know they got talent.)
That said. Halas Madrid!
Are Espanyol in some kind of contest with Deportivo La Coruna to see who can come up with the ugliest version of a blue and white striped kit? Must ofcome straight out of the Joma catalog.
And to the dude who scored the first goal for Sevilla, there's already a multi-capped Selecao player named Adriano playing in Europe for Inter Milan. Maybe this guy should change his name to Adrianinho?
Nera,
I don't see a name change happening until both Adriano gets picked for the same match.
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