Deportivo Alavés confirmed their good form against a weak Sevilla side, beating them 2-1, but they were too forgiving in a match that they dominated for much of the game in the sixth round of LaLiga EA Sports.
El Glorioso was superior, above all, in the first half, in which Carlos Vicente, the best player of the match, put his team ahead in the 17th minute.
Luis García Plaza’s men could have gone into the locker room with a greater advantage, but the 1-0 left Sevilla alive, having fallen two goals behind after 60 minutes, after a rebound that Carlos Martín took advantage of.
Lukébakio closed the gap, but Sevilla did not have time to equalise the match and remain on 5 points in a classification in which the Babazorro team wins with 10.
Little happened during the first ten minutes. In fact, that was the image offered by the Mendizorroza cheering stands during the first five minutes, in protest against the timings. It was the most notable thing about a game that started without control and with little football, and in which Issac Romero was injured and had to leave the field.
Sevilla tried to take control of the match through the boots of Saúl Ñíguez, but Alavés struck first through their most in-form man, Carlos Vicente, who collected a great low pass from Nahuel Tenaglia and got the first goal with the help of Orjan Nyland, who could have done much more with the clearance in the 17th minute.
The spark ignited the home side, who could have extended their lead after 20 minutes, but Toni Martínez missed with a powerful shot. In fact, they took advantage of Sevilla’s disconnection to score the second goal, but the VAR disallowed Stoichkov’s goal due to an offside decision.
The first half hour was a monologue by Alavés, who barely allowed the Seville team to advance, who saved their face and were able to go into the break with a meager 1-0 that kept them alive in the match.
The Andalusians ended up in their rival’s half, but they hardly created any danger in Antonio Sivera’s domain, who was just another spectator during the first 45 minutes.
After the break, the game slowed down, although the game was more direct.
In one of Sevilla’s counterattacks, Antonio Sivera appeared to prevent the visitors from equalising and in the subsequent play Carlos Vicente emerged again, easily getting past Pedrosa in the 60th minute to put in a ball that Carlos Martín ended up pushing in after Stoichkov hit the crossbar with a header.
The score went from a possible draw to 2-0 and that once again fuelled Alavés, who showed their energy on every square metre of the Mendizorroza pitch.
Nyland saved the third from Stoichkov and Sevilla tried to react, but were not precise in the final few metres, well protected by the Basque team. With 20 minutes to go, Djbril Sow was taken off due to injury, the second to fall in García Pimienta’s ranks, who found no response with the changes.
However, the Seville team was patient and reduced the gap with a good goal from Lukébakio in the final stretch of the match (min.84) that added spice to the end of a match that seemed like it was going to be calmer for the white and blues.
Nervión’s men took full advantage of the few chances they had and went all out to get the equaliser.
Luis García reacted with a five-man defence and Alavés protected the three points until the end.
– Technical sheet:
2 – Alaves: Sivera; Tenaglia, Abqar, Sedlar, Sanchez; Stoichkov (Guridi, min.71), Jordan (Mouriño, min.89), Guevara (Blanco, min.71), C. Vicente, Carlos Martin (Rebbach, min. 77); and Toni Martinez (Kike Garcia, min. 77).
1 – Seville: Nyland; Carmona, Nianzou (Badé, min70), Kike Salas, Pedrosa (Barco, min.66); Agoumé, Sow (Gudelj, min.70), Saúl; Peque, Lukebakio and Isaac Romero (Iheanacho, min.14).
Referee: Alberola Rojas (Colegio Castellano-manchego). He gave yellow cards to the home players Guridi (min.87) and the visiting players Saúl (min.33), Pedrosa (min.45), Badé (min.75) and Salas (min.94).
Goles: 1-0, min.17: Vicente. 2-0, min.60: Martín. 2-1, min.84: Lukébakio.
Incidents: Match corresponding to the sixth round of LaLiga EA Sports played at the Mendizorroza stadium in Vitoria in front of 16,538 spectators. The fans of the home team’s cheering section, headed by Iraultza 1921, entered the stadium in the 5th minute in protest against the timing of the football matches. A protest that was supported by the Sevilla fans who had travelled there, who did not cheer on their team during that time.
