DPA/Berlin


Two goals from Aleix Vidal and a third from Kevin Gameiro put holders Sevilla close to a second successive Europa League final with a 3-0 defeat of Fiorentina Thursday.
Napoli meanwhile were held 1-1 by Ukraine’s Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk in their semi-final first-leg game in a disappointing evening for the two Serie A sides, seeking a first all-Italian final since the 1998 UEFA Cup final between Inter Milan and Lazio.
Sevilla, who are aiming to become the first club to win Europe’s second tournament four times, are now well placed to reach the May 27 final in Warsaw after their ninth successive win in European home games.
Serie A visitors Fiorentina, unbeaten in their last 12 European away fixtures, began with intent in Sevilla, with Mario Gomez blasting over the bar in the sixth minute from a good position.
Sevilla did not threaten until opening the scoring in the 17th minute when Vitolo down the left slipped the ball to Carlos Bacca whose pass across the area was met by Vidal with a side-footed shot which left keeper Neto wrong-footed.
Fiorentina had chances to pull level, but Matias Fernandez fired over an open goal from inside the six-yard box, and both Fernandez and Mohamed Salah were foiled at close range by keeper Sergio Rico
Vidal made it two for the Spanish side seven minutes after the break when he found space inside the right of the penalty area to beat Neto at the near post.
Vidal also had a hand in the third goal, turning a cross from Benoit Tremoulinas on to substitute Gameiro who converted from close range with his first touch of the ball less than half a minute after coming off the bench.
Sevilla are now looking good for their fourth final in 10 years after winning the old UEFA Cup in 2006 and 2007 and last season’s Europa League.
In Naples, Rafael Benitez’s Napoli took the lead thanks to a 50th-minute David Lopez header from a corner but Dnipro levelled against the run of play nine minutes from time.
Substitute Yevhen Seleznyov scored with his first touch when he tapped in from close range, with Napoli appealing in vain for offside when Artem Fedetskiy sent in a low cross from the right.
The return legs are next Thursday, with Dnipro playing their home game in Kiev.