tag

Sevilla came from two goals down to snatch a thrilling 2-2 derby draw against Real Betis Sunday in La Liga. Isaac Romero thumped home from outside the box in the 85th minute to salvage his side a point at Betis’s temporary La Cartuja home. The draw leaves Manuel Pellegrini’s Betis fifth, eight points behind Atletico Madrid and Villarreal, in third and fourth respectively, hampering their hopes of Champions League qualification. Former Manchester United winger Antony sent the hosts ahead in the 16th minute with an acrobatic overhead kick after the ball fell for him in the box. Midfielder Alvaro Fidalgo tucked home the second before half-time when Ez Abde, who was also involved in the opener, played him in. Veteran Chile forward Alexis Sanchez pulled one back for Sevilla, 11th, after the hour mark with an angled header. It set up an exciting finale and Romero finally got the goal Sevilla craved, drilling home from just outside the box to level. Abde almost fired Betis back in front but struck the post with three minutes to go and Akor Adams had a shot cleared off the line at the other end. Earlier Elche grabbed a 2-2 draw against Espanyol in a match which was tarnished by an incident of alleged racism. Moroccan Espanyol defender Omar El Hilali accused Elche forward Rafa Mir of telling him that he “came here on a dinghy”, according to the referee’s report. Largie Ramazani earned Valencia a 1-0 win over Osasuna from the penalty spot to help them climb to 14th, five points above the relegation zone. On Saturday, Julian Alvarez struck in the 94th minute to snatch Atletico Madrid a 1-0 La Liga win over bottom side Real Oviedo and help his team climb to third. The Argentine striker secured Diego Simeone’s side only their second win in five league games with his first league goal in nearly four months. The Rojiblancos had an eye on Tuesday’s Copa del Rey semi-final second leg at Barcelona on Tuesday, where they hold a 4-0 advantage, and were extremely fortunate to emerge with three points. After La Liga leaders Barcelona beat Villarreal, fourth, 4-1 earlier on, Atletico capitalised to pull level with the Yellow Submarine on 51 points. “They are fighting for their lives, they played a great game, it was a good game for the fans, a very open game,” Atletico defender Robin Le Normand told Movistar. “We knew how to hold on and then with the quality we have up front, we got the goal.” Atletico started well in the opening minutes but faded and Oviedo created the greater danger in the first half, with Atletico stopper Jan Oblak saving well from Ilyas Chaira and Alberto Reina. The Slovenia goalkeeper denied Federico Vinas in the second half, with Atletico improving in the final stages and taking control. 

Spanish champions Barcelona collapsed in a shock 4-1 demolition at Sevilla in La Liga, with Alexis Sanchez scoring against his former side and Robert Lewandowski missing a penalty for the visitors.The Catalans sit second in the table after their first defeat of the campaign, two points behind bitter rivals Real Madrid following Los Blancos' victory over Villarreal on Saturday, while Sevilla rise provisionally to fourth. Veteran Chilean winger Sanchez sent Sevilla ahead from the penalty spot early on and Isaac Romero doubled the hosts' lead after having already missed two good chances.Marcus Rashford pulled a goal back for Barcelona before half-time, but Lewandowski fired wide from the spot to spurn his team's best chance of an equaliser. Jose Carmona and Akor Adams wrapped up Sevilla's emphatic win in the final stages, as Hansi Flick's side fell to an unusually heavy defeat. "The team's first 45 minutes were horrendous, I think we've not played a game as bad as that and we must be self-critical," Barca midfielder Pedri Gonzalez said.Flick defended his team despite their loss, saying he was pleased with their reaction in the second half. "I know that we have to analyse (everything), especially in the first half... but in the second, for me to see the reaction of the team and them fighting was good to see," Flick told reporters. "It's one match and we lost it, and we have to keep going on."Barcelona were still licking their wounds after Paris Saint-Germain beat them late on in the Champions League on Wednesday, and were without injured teenage star Lamine Yamal. The Catalans were sluggish and although Sevilla have a weaker squad compared to their peak years in the early part of this century, the hosts' energy was enough to pull Flick's disorganised team apart. "In the first half we didn't know how to defend well or attack well," Pedri said.It started when Ronald Araujo clumsily grappled with Romero in the box and a penalty was awarded as the striker gratefully hit the deck. Sanchez dispatched it, with the 36-year-old sending Wojciech Szczesny the wrong way to fire Matias Almeyda's side ahead. Romero missed two big chances, first denied by Szczesny and then skewing wide after Lucien Agoume's neat cross set him up.The striker made no mistake next time though, sweeping into the bottom corner from Ruben Vargas' cutback as Barca were opened up again. Rashford was the first Barcelona player to awake from their slumber, forcing a save at his near post from Sevilla goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos. The England international pulled the champions back into the game deep in first-half stoppage time, volleying home Pedri's cross for his first La Liga goal. Flick took off Araujo and Gerard Martin for Eric Garcia and Alejandro Balde at the interval, trying to shake up his team after their poor first-half display.Szczesny made a fine save with his legs to thwart Djibril Sow early in the second half as Sevilla continued to take the initiative. However, having won just one league game at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan in 2025 before Barcelona's visit, the hosts' nerves began to shake. Sevilla substitute Adnan Januzaj conceded a penalty for felling Balde as he flew into the box, granting Barca a golden chance to level.Veteran Polish striker Lewandowski stuttered twice in his run-up before firing wide of the post. Youngster Roony Bardghji could have equalised but fired straight at the goalkeeper after Lewandowski's flick-on sent him in on goal, while Rashford was also ready to pounce if the winger had passed.Sevilla wrapped up their win late on through full-back Carmona, who drilled a low effort past Szczesny and into the far corner, and Adams. "I'm very happy for the victory, we needed to win at home," said Sevilla coach Almeyda. "We couldn't give them a metre of space... we knew what we had to do and we're on a good path."