Sevilla 1-0 Real Sociedad
Sevilla have secured a gargantuan victory to lift them out of the relegation zone for the week. The three points came largely through grit and graft, with Sevilla seeing out the win following Alexis Sanchez’s opener. La Real, in turn, have all but bid farewell to their hopes of fifth spot and a potential Champions League spot.
A tense and tetchy first half unfolded at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, with neither side really able to grip onto the match. Perhaps the clearest opening cmae from Chidera Ejuke, cutting in from the right and forcing a strong save down to his left from Alex Remiro. Neither side could lay claim to control or a lead that would have been deserved though, as the vibrating crowd looked to influence matters for their side.
Sevilla win ‘their final’ at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan
After the break, Sevilla came out the stronger, desperate to appease their fans. A cross in from the right side found Neal Maupay in the box, and managing to retain possession, slipped the ball into Alexis Sanchez. The experienced Chilean took a touch down the side of the box, and let rip into the corner, instigating bedlam in the partisan crowd.
Try as Real Sociedad did, they struggled to inject tempo and rhythm into a game that was defined by the scrappy nature of the Sevilla side. The next clear opening was Sevilla’s too, midway through the second half, with Sanchez again slipped down the right channel. He managed to find Ruben Vargas in the perfect place to shoot, but he could not get hold of the shot from the centre of the box, ballooning over.
For a second time, the Sevilla crowd thought they might have the decisive chance, following a set piece with 10 minutes to go. The home side recycled possession after a clearance, and after the ball was lofted in, Lucien Agoume latched onto a flick-on. His finish was ruled out for offside. If there was an upside, it was that Sevilla, fans and Luis Garcia Plaza aside, were not suffering. La Real could not work their way forward, and Sevilla continued to pose a threat, but primarily were keeping the ball far from their goal.
On Sunday, captain Nemanja Gudelj got off the bus to address the exhausted Sevilla fanbase. His message was that it was ‘impossible’ that Sevilla would go down in their final games, citing the work-rate and dedication of the squad. In those regards, Los Nervionenses were clear victors against a Real Sociedad that struggled to maintain pressure and put dangerous attacks together. Pellegrino Matarazzo will no doubt wonder where the coarse and uncomfortable side that his team showed in recent weeks was.
Los Nervionenses move a point clear of Alaves in 18th, before they host Espanyol in a six-pointer on Saturday, another game that will require a ‘final’ mentality. La Real will host Real Betis in the game they had hoped was a six-pointer of their own, but now 10 points adrift of the other Seville side, their sights may be set on Celta Vigo in 6th, four points removed from themselves.
