Celta Vigo turn the screw on Sevilla as European challenge heats up

Sevilla 0-1 Celta Vigo

Following on from three consecutive defeats, the latest of which was damning 3-0 loss to Levante, Sevilla manager Matias Almeyda was very much in need of a performance to get his side back on track, despite his side being comfortably in midtable. Equally Celta Vigo will have been viewing their trip to Andalusia as a valuable opportunity to take points away from home.

A fired up Sevilla came out of the blocks fast, looking to match Celta’s technical ability and smart interplay with fire and direct play. It looked as if it could work early, and it was established that the right flank was an avenue of progress for Los Nervionenses. A number of dangerous balls were fired across the box by the overlapping Juanlu Sanchez.

Nevertheless, the clearer chances came for Celta, when they did get through the Sevilla press. Javi Rodriguez and Iago Aspas were both given reasonable openings in that fashion, but neither could connect with any power to put Odysseas Vlachodimos under pressure.

Celta Vigo turn the screw

The second half started with similar intensity, but both managers had made ajustments to halt the opposition coming forward. It was in the final half hour that Celta began to make their extra quality show, with gaps opening up in the final third with increasing regularity. Hugo Alvarez and Bryan Zaragoza were indecisive with them, but Williot Swedberg forced a strong save down low from Vlachodimos. It looked for all the world Ilaix Moriba would convert the rebound, but Vlachodimos shot out a hand to make a miraculous save, that looked like it would keep a point in Seville.

Just five minutes later, Ilaix was slipped into the box, and Baptiste Mendy clipped his foot. From the resulting penalty, Marcos Alonso declared there would be no more miracles, rolling it past Vlachodimos, who had dived the other way.

Celta will feel they fully deserved the win, extending their good run to four wins in five and registering a fourth clean sheet in that run too. They remain 7th, but move level with Real Betis in the hunt for a European spot. Sevilla themselves were looking upwards at the turn of the year, but now find themselves just three above Valencia in the relegation zone. Almeyda’s side did not perform poorly, but their chronic blunt edge continues to hound their attacking efforts.

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