Holders Sevilla have booked their spot in the semi-finals of the Europa League courtesy of a 5-4 penalty shootout victory over Athletic Bilbao following a pulsating quarter-final second leg at the Estadio Ramon.
Sevilla entered the second leg with a 2-1 advantage from the first leg at San Mames, but Bilbao recorded the same scoreline on the night to force extra time and ultimately a shootout between the two La Liga rivals.
Bilbao midfielder Benat proved to be the fall guy as the Spaniard missed the only penalty to allow Sevilla, who are chasing a third straight Europa League crown, to make the final four of the competition once again.
Sevilla were without the services of key midfielder Ever Banega through suspension, while Benoit Tremoulinas also missed out for the home side with a hamstring problem. As a result, Vicente Iborra, who scored Sevilla's second in the first leg, came into an advanced midfield role and Sergio Escudero started at left-back.
Kevin Gameiro was once again preferred in the final third to former Bilbao striker Fernando Llorente, while David Soria continued between the sticks in place of number one Sergio Rico.
As for Bilbao, Aymeric Laporte remained out of action with a fractured leg, while Sabin Merino and Inaki Williams both missed out for the visitors due to hamstring problems.
Inigo Lekue came into the team in a wide midfield position, while Raul Garcia also returned after missing the first leg through suspension. Iker Muniain, whose mistake led to Sevilla levelling at San Mames last week, missed out, however, leaving Markel Susaeta to skipper the Basque outfit.
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Bilbao had a golden chance to take the lead in the fifth minute when Aritz Aduriz rounded Soria before attempting to pick out the bottom corner, but the experienced striker saw his effort strike the post via a touch from Timothee Kolodziejczak.
Four minutes later, Sevilla had a wonderful opportunity of their own, but centre-back Adil Rami could only volley over the crossbar after being picked out by a sweeping pass from Michael Krohn-Dehli.
An end-to-end opening 15 minutes saw both teams continue to commit players in the final third and Iborra just screwed an effort wide for Sevilla after Garcia had fired over the crossbar for Bilbao.
The visitors had another half-chance in the 21st minute when Susaeta collected a loose ball before attempting to pick out the bottom corner, but his low strike was always moving away from the post.
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Krohn-Dehli was next to try his luck for Sevilla after meeting a high ball just inside the box, but his volley was comfortable for Iago Herrerin. Krohn-Dehli then delivered a wicked free kick into the Bilbao area in the 30th minute, only to see Herrerin claw the ball away from the advancing Grzegorz Krychowiak.
Garcia had a wonderful chance to send Bilbao ahead in the 32nd minute when Susaeta set up his fellow Spaniard inside the box, but the attacker's volley was always too high of the target.
Garcia continued to look the most likely for the visitors and had another opportunity in the 44th minute after picking the pocket of Kolodziejczak in a dangerous position, but his effort was straight into the arms of Soria.
Indeed, the referee brought the first 45 minutes to a close with the score level at 0-0 on the night. Sevilla's 2-1 advantage, however, left Bilbao needing at least two goals in the second period to remain in the tie.
The first half-chance of the second period fell to Bilbao when Oscar de Marcos picked out Lekue with a clever cross, but the attacker headed wide of the post. Sevilla had an even better opportunity moments later, but Herrerin produced an outstanding one-handed stop to keep out Iborra, who had met a loose ball inside the box.
Bilbao continued to press players forward as they looked for the game's opening goal and San Jose headed wide of the post in the 53rd minute as the Basque outfit came close once again.
Bilbao had their goal in the 57th minute when Aduriz, who had been quiet in the first period, moved the ball onto his right foot before drilling a low strike past Soria, who allowed it to move under his body.
There was an instant response from the home side, however, as Krychowiak raced away down the right before delivering a low cross into Gameiro, who simply could not miss from close range.
Bilbao's chances of scoring a second took a hit 20 minutes from time when Aduriz was forced off the pitch with a hamstring problem, leaving Borja Viguera as the centre-forward at the Estadio Ramon.
Sevilla had two excellent chances to take a 2-1 lead in the 76th minute, but Gameiro could not beat Herrerin from inside the box, before N'Zonzi somehow sent a close-range header wide of the post.
Vitolo then fed Gameiro as the home side had another excellent opportunity moments later, but the striker fired over the crossbar from close range as Bilbao remained in the hunt with little over 10 minutes left.
Bilbao found a second in the 80th minute, however, when Benat delivered a cross onto the head of Garcia, who looped his effort over Soria to level the quarter-final at 3-3. Garcia and De Marcos both had chances to win it for Bilbao late on, but the quarter-final headed for extra time.
Bilbao had a golden chance to score a third in the seventh minute of extra-time when Benat released Susaeta inside the Sevilla box, but the Spaniard's effort just dropped wide of the post.
Down the other end, Konoplyanka saw a free kick deflected onto the post by Ander Iturraspe, before Coke saw his goal-bound strike blocked by San Jose as it somehow remained a 2-1 game approaching the end of the first half of extra time.
Konoplyanka then drew a smart save from Herrerin moments before the referee blew for half time, with only 15 minutes separating the two Spanish rivals from spot kicks. Viguera had the best chance of the second half of extra time, but the Bilbao striker fired straight at Soria as the quarter-final headed for penalties.
Nine of the 10 players that stepped forward registered in the shootout, but after Benat fired his effort straight at Soria, Gameiro stepped forward to book Sevilla's spot in the semi-finals, where they have joined Liverpool, Villarreal and Shakhtar Donetsk.
Matt Law
