Photo: Sevilla celebrate their sixth hold on the Europa League trophy after a come from behind 3-2 win over Inter Milan in Koln, Germany on Friday. (Getty Images)
Sevilla FC came from behind to beat favourites Inter Milan 3-2 in the final of the UEFA Europa League to claim their sixth hold on the title, in a fascinating final in Koln of Friday.
Four goals in a breathtaking first half set up an intriguing second half, that despite not producing the same number of goals, was just a gripping as the first.
Inter’s leading scorer Romelu Lukaku sent the Italians on their way when he scored early but two goals from Luuk De Jong turned the game around for Sevilla.
However, in a first half that swung from end to end, the Italians leveled things through defender Diego Godin as the teams went in level at 2-2 at the break.
It then took a bit of magic from the most unlikely of players to decide a game that was engaging from start to finish when defender Diego Carlos grabbed the winner.
Lukakau was brought down in the box by Carlos after getting ahead of him and dribbling into the box. The Belgian picked himself up off the ground to fire home the penalty, beyond the despairing dive of Yassine Bounou, who guessed correctly but could do nothing to keep the ball out of the net in the 5th minute.
It was Lukaku’s 34th goal of the season for Inter Milan and he was scoring in his 11th consecutive game in the competition, a record for the Europa League.
Luuk De Jong who was the semifinal hero for Sevilla, scored the equalizer when he got ahead of Diego Godin and scored with a diving header at the near post pass Handanovic from a right sided cross from Jesus Nevas, to make it 1-1 on minute twelve.
De Jong then put Sevilla 2-1 up in the 33rd minute with a second header, this time from the back post. De Jong was left unattended by the Inter defenders and he punished them for a second time in the game when he powered home from a Banega cross, again from the right.
Godin who was at fault on the first goal conceded by Inter, then made up for his error when he equalized for the Italians just two minutes after his team went behind, when he headed home from a free kick from the right to make it 2-2.
The second half produced far less goal scoring opportunities and Reguilon had to work hard to create space under the challenge from Godin before he fired off a left footed drive into the side netting.
Ashley Young watched as his curler went just over the top from 20 yards out and dead centre of the goal.
Lukaku had a great chance to put Inter ahead in the 65th minute after getting goal side of the Sevilla defence folowing a through ball from Barella, but just as he did in the semifinal, Bounou came up with a brilliant block with his legs, to deny the Inter striker.
A Banega free kick was half cleared and came to Diego Carlos who scored with a bicycle kick that deflected into the goal off of Lukaku, as the Belgian inadvertently turned the ball into his own net in the 74th minute.
Carlos was the man who gave away three consecutive penalties, including the one that led to the first goal of the game.
Antonio Conte responded with a triple substitution, bringing in the former English Premier League trio of Christian Eriksen, Alexis Sanchez and Victor Moses as he went for another equalizer.
After a mad scramble in front of goal, a Sanchez poke effort that was going into the corner of the goal was cleared off the line by Kounde.
In the first minute of added time, substitute Candreva had a chance for an equalizer but his soft touch was no problem for Bouou at the near post, who blocked the ball behind for a corner kick.
At the end of six minutes of added time, Julen Lopetegui, who was barely given enough time as Real Madrid Manager, was able to celebrate his first trophy in his first season at Sevilla.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login