Sevilla kept their slim hopes of qualifying from Champions League Group G alive courtesy of a 3-0 victory over Copenhagen at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan this evening.
Both sides knew that only a victory would be enough to keep them in contention to finish in the top two, having each failed to win any of their opening four outings.
Goals from Youssef En-Nesyri, Isco and Gonzalo Montiel ensured that it was the hosts who would keep their dreams alive, although Borussia Dortmund could still make Sevilla's reprieve short-lived as the German outfit will join Manchester City in the next round should they avoid defeat to Pep Guardiola's side later this evening.
Nevertheless, the victory guarantees that Jorge Sampaoli's side will at least be playing in the Europa League in the New Year, with Copenhagen condemned to a fourth-placed finish in the group.
4 - Youssef En-Nesyri 🇲🇦 (@ennesyri9) ha marcado más goles de cabeza que cualquier otro jugador del Sevilla en la Liga de Campeones (4) y ya es el segundo máximo goleador del conjunto hispalense en la competición (8) tras Wissam Ben Yedder 🇫🇷 (10). Explosión. pic.twitter.com/d2915mJTK5
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) October 25, 2022
There have been positives from the Danish outfit's campaign - not least their goalless draw with Manchester City on matchday four - while the 3-0 scoreline in Seville this evening was harsh on the visitors.
Indeed, things could have been very different had Copenhagen found the back of the net instead of being denied by the woodwork on two separate occasions, but they remain the Champions League's only goalless side heading into the final matchday.
It all unravelled for them in the closing stages too, as Jacob Neestrup's side conceded twice and saw David Khocholava sent off from the 88th minute onwards.
For the most part, though, a very youthful Copenhagen side put up a good fight, having become the first team to ever name as many as six different teenagers in a Champions League starting lineup.
👶 - FC København become the first team to name as many as 6️⃣ different teenagers in a @ChampionsLeague starting line-up. The previous record was 5️⃣ by Arsenal in December 2009 (1-0 defeat at Olympiacos). #UCL
— Gracenote Live (@GracenoteLive) October 25, 2022
Prior to the late collapse, many would argue that the visitors were even the better side on the night, with Viktor Claesson hitting the post from a bouncing volley and Kevin Diks planting a header against the crossbar with his first touch eight minutes from time.
Hakon Arnar Haraldsson also saw two big chances go begging in quick succession as Copenhagen's lack of quality in the final third - which saw them go into tonight's match with the fewest goals, shots, shots on target and lowest expected goals total in the competition this season - came back to bite them again.
Those Haraldsson chances were immediately punished too, with En-Nesyri timing his run to perfection before getting the faintest touch on Papu Gomez's cross to cap an eventful 25-minute cameo that saw him come on at half time, open the scoring and then limp off 20 minutes from the end.
It looked as though that might be the decisive moment, particularly after Diks's header struck the bar in the 82nd minute, but Sevilla made the final scoreline look far more comfortable with a late flurry, which they will hope might be enough to spark their own underwhelming season into life.
1 - Francisco Alarcón "Isco" 🇪🇸 has scored his first goal for Sevilla in all competitions (15 appearances), scoring his first Champions League goal since February 2020, with Real Madrid against Manchester City. Premiere. pic.twitter.com/nZmDTbKZCH
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) October 25, 2022
Isco opened his Sevilla account with the best of the goals as he picked out the far corner with a pinpoint curling long-range strike, before Montiel linked up with Erik Lamela and turned a rebound from Lamela's shot home from close range.
An otherwise-encouraging night turned extra sour in stoppage time when Khocholava was given his marching orders, the referee upgrading his yellow to a red after consulting the pitchside monitor and seeing a raking studs-up challenge down the back of Isco's leg.
Sevilla must now wait to see the result from Dortmund's home game against already-qualified Man City to learn whether their bid to reach the knockout rounds will be taken to the final matchday next week.
Should Dortmund avoid defeat against Man City then Sevilla will be confirmed in third place, but a Man City win would leave Sampaoli's side still able to finish in the top two.
Barney Corkhill
