MY ACCOUNT
Sevilla will take a slim advantage into their Europa League last-16 second leg against West Ham after winning 1-0 at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium.
A superb second-half strike from Munir El Haddadi was enough to give the LaLiga side the victory, though the visiting Hammers also had their chances.
Munir only came into the side after Ivan Rakitic picked up an injury in the warm-up, and the Moroccan was at the centre of most of his team’s best moments.
West Ham manager David Moyes may well be satisfied with his team’s performance and coming away from Spain with just a one-goal deficit, as they look to get back into the tie at the London Stadium next Thursday.
Sevilla threatened early with two headers in the first four minutes, first from Youssef En-Nesyri and then Munir, while Nikola Vlasic should have given the Premier League side the lead after 11 minutes but could only direct a free header from point-blank range straight at Yassine Bounou.
Munir went close again just before the half-hour mark as Marcos Acuna found him with a delightful throughball, but the former Barcelona man could only guide his shot wide of Alphonse Areola’s right-hand post.
Vlasic also had another opportunity after receiving a knockdown from Michail Antonio, cutting inside and hitting a fierce effort at Bounou’s near post, with the keeper turning it behind.
Tomas Soucek forced Bounou into another strong save early in the second half, but it was the home side who took the lead just before the hour when a free-kick from Acuna was crossed to the far post where Munir, in acres of space, coolly side-footed a half-volley into the far corner of the net.
Lucas Ocampos threatened a second as he bent an effort just wide, before Manuel Lanzini was denied an equaliser when Jesus Navas blocked his shot following good work by Said Benrahma, and so it is advantage Sevilla at the half-way point of the tie.
What does it mean? Can Sevilla be beaten in the Europa League?
It must have been an imposing draw for West Ham when they saw who they were paired with.
Sevilla have progressed from 29 of their last 31 knockout stage ties in the UEFA Cup/Europa League (94 per cent), including going through in all three ties against English opponents in this time (2006-07 quarter-final vs Spurs, 2019-20 quarter-final vs Wolves and 2019-20 semi-final vs Manchester United).
However, despite Julen Lopetegui’s team having the better of the game, West Ham could have taken something from it and will fancy giving them a scare in the return leg next week.
Corona has a big impact
It can’t have been an easy couple of years for someone whose surname is Corona, but Jesus Corona doesn’t appear to have let it affect his form.
The former Porto winger was a constant thorn in West Ham’s side down the Sevilla right, making a game-high six key passes and completing an impressive 92.1 per cent of his 38 passes in the opposition half, the highest of any Sevilla player who attempted more than 15.
Lack of firepower for Hammers
The London side had their chances but all came from midfield and were, in the main, half-chances.
Antonio held the ball up well but only managed two shots, with Soucek (one) and Vlasic (two) the only players to hit the target with efforts. They missed the injured Jarrod Bowen in Seville, and will need to show more in attack in the second leg.
What’s next?
Before the return leg at London Stadium next Thursday, Sevilla travel to Rayo Vallecano in LaLiga action while West Ham host Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa in the Premier League, both on Sunday.
