News Archive

Europa League, quarter finals, second leg

Spain will have four teams in tomorrow’s semi-final draws after Villarreal and Sevilla both won through their Europa League ties! Villarreal came in to their match at Sparta Prague with a narrow advantage, but in the end they cruised through with a 2-4 victory on the night. Bakambu opened the scoring early on, and either side of half time strikes by Samu Castillejo and Bakambu and a Lafata own goal put Marcelino’s team four up. The Czech side did get goals back through Dockal and Krejci, but by then the tie was already over. Sevilla though only qualified via a penalty shoot out after they lost 1-2 on the night to fellow Spaniards Athletic Bilbao. Aduríz put the Basques ahead early on in the second half, and although Gameiro made it all square two minutes later, Raúl García restored the lead with a header in the eightieth minute, a goal which took the game into extra time and penalties. Local keeper David Soria saved Beñat’s spot kick however to take the defending champions through 5-4 in the shoot out. The two La Liga clubs will be joined by Shakhtar Donetsk, who had a comfortable 4-0 win against Sporting Braga, and Liverpool, who produced the comeback of the season to beat Borussia Dortmund 4-3. (14.04.16)

Sparta Prague 2 - Villarreal 4

Villarreal came in to their match at Sparta Prague with a narrow advantage, but in the end they cruised through with a 2-4 victory on the night. Bakambu ran through to open the scoring early on, and although Dockal and Krejci went close for the Czech side, Samu Castillejo made it two after the defence failed to clear a Denis Suárez cross. With half time approaching Lafata deflected a Bruno header in to his own net following a Samu corner, and just four minutes after the restart Bakambu scored again, his fourth goal in the tie and his ninth in the competition. Dockal and Krejci did get two back after that, and Areola had to save a deflected shot from Dockal near the end, but by then the game was well beyond their reach.

Sevilla 1 - Athletic Bilbao 2 (5-4 penalty shoot out)

Four-time champions Sevilla are through to the semi-finals after beating fellow Spaniards Athletic Bilbao in a penalty shoot-out! A goal behind from the first leg, the Basque side had to attack from the start, and Aduríz saw David Soria turn an ealy shot onto the post. Rami went close and Krohn-Dehli tested Herrerín in reply, and soon after the restart the visiting keeper had to save from Iborra. With just under an hour gone Aduríz cut across the area to give Athletic the lead, his tenth goal in the competition, and although Gameiro levelled the scores from a Krychowiak cross, Raúl García restored the lead with a looping header shortly before the end. That took the tie into extra time, and both teams could have won it, Susaeta chipping a shot wide when free on goal, and Konoplyanka seeing his free kick headed back against the upright, San José blocking Coke’s acrobatic follow up on the line with the keeper beaten. Eventually though it went to penalties, and Soria saved the fourth spot kick from Beñat (an ex-Betis player!) to take the Andalusians through 5-4 in the shoot out.