Sevilla vs Athletic Bilbao Match Preview
Sunday's late games feature the hottest clashes of the week. Action starts when Joaquin Caparros' Lions visit Andalusia to take on Sevilla. Both Athletic and Sevilla are at the doorsteps of the European qualification, and the victory might help them leapfrog Espanyol, that stands only one point above their heads.
Gregorio Manzano is having a hard time taking command of Sevilla's cruise, but midweek's victory for the Europa League help him lift the spirit of the players. Athletic's top striker Fernando Llorente is in excellent form and the hosts will have to keep him under close watch not to be overwhelmed by Caparros' aggressive scheme.
Didier Zokora's absence force Sevilla's coach to introduce some defensive modifications. Konko lived up to manager's expectations in Ucrania and is likely to cover the right wing once again, joining Mouhamadou Dabo.
Luis Fabiano is likely to be left out of the starting eleven once again. Watch out for Frederic Kanoute, Sevilla's deadliest striker
Athletic's coach will repeat last week's formation that granted the Lions the three points against Zaragoza. A defining game for the European chase, who will claim the three points?
Sevilla vs Athletic Bilbao Match Report
It was an ever changing Andalusian evening at the Sanchez Pizjuan in which the hosts finally secured three decisive points for the European fight. Luis Fabiano, Frederic Kanoute and Fernando Llorente score two goals each on Sunday's most prolific game.
Gregorio Manzano's Palanganas advance to the sixth position only four points behind league leaders' Real Madrid. "The game was absolutely crazy, and everything could have happened, from a loss to a sound victory" said Sevilla's coach.
Luis Fabiano found redemption in Sevilla as he opened the score on the 35th minute. The Basque visitors could not stand against his partnership with Kanoute and Koffi Romaric, not even when the hosts were left with 10 men upon Fernando Navarro's ejection. Romaric was the star of the match, feeding Sevilla's strikers with enough opportunities to bag the full scoring at home.
Luis Fabiano score a beautiful goal at the beginning of the second half. Kanoute had already score from the yards in the last minute of the first half. But the three goals advantage was short-lived.
Fernando Llorente's awakening radically changed the game. With a header on the 74th minute and a penalty shot three minutes later -which Antonio Palop could only marginally deflect from the12 yards- he made the Lions believe they still had hopes.
Referee Clos Gomez gifted Sevilla a penalty shot, when Antonio Negredo challenged a defender, and Kanoute killed Athletic's hopes without hesitating. Igor Gabilondo connected a header at injury time, but it was all over.
