Espanyol advance in Copa del Rey despite defeat

Espanyol have reached the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey despite a 1-0 second-leg defeat against Sevilla at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium.

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The visitors, leading 3-1 from the first leg, made a bright start to the game, with Victor Alvarez winning a free kick on the edge of the box that Anaitz Arbilla blasted against the crossbar.

Sevilla then countered on the quarter-hour mark through Carlos Bacca, who latched on to Gerard Deufoleu's cross but was unable to direct the ball goalwards.

Moments later, Lucas Vazquez drove forward to the edge of the Sevilla box before letting rip with a low effort that forced a save from Beto, and in the 29th minute Sergio Garcia almost scored with a lofted chip from range.

The hosts threatened on the hour when Bacca played in Vicente Iborra, but the defensive midfielder miskicked his effort, the ball soaring harmlessly over the bar.

Sevilla needed two goals to go through and they upped the tempo as the game went on, with Kevin Gameiro smashing a volley from the edge of the box that clipped Bacca on the head and flew into the side-netting.

They succeeded in breaking the deadlock through Diogo Figueiras's curling long-range strike two minutes from time, but it proved too little too late.

Espanyol will take on Athletic Bilbao in the semi-finals of the competition, while Barcelona and Villarreal will contest the other tie.