Sevilla had not lost this season and the VAR and the Bulgarian Kalbakov braid did not allow it either in Wolsfburg, protagonists in the middle of the scandal, at the end, a penalty (and the consequent expulsion for a double yellow of Lacroix) that allowed Rakitic to tie a match destined to go down the drain. Blunt in attack during the first half and overtaken by his backs in the second, Lopetegui's line-up and changes grated without result until the referee's decision changed his fate.
It was a Seville that was expected to be the most physical possible but in whose starting eleven Julen included two artists, Papu Gómez and Suso. Two octopuses in a garage before the intensity of Wolfsburg, that Duracell bunny that a priori was going to advocate tireless football, back and forth, but who passed the first 45 minutes behind before the dizzying but not very productive possession of Sevilla.
Rafa Mir crowned his baroque first half with an unnecessary foul on the edge of the area that Wolfsburg failed to convert even half a chance. Only the Swiss winger Steffen had disturbed Bono somewhat, although without putting the Moroccan goalkeeper to the test. Meanwhile, Sevilla accumulated the ball but it was diluted in the losses of Ocampos and especially Suso, and also in two failed occasions that They question Mir's ability to serve as a reliable replacement for the injured En-Nesyri.
At 22 minutes, the Murcian seemed to have an advantage to clinch a perfect counter by Papu-Ocampos-Acuña but Lacroix was ahead of the shot. At half an hour, two meters from the goal line, the ram failed in control of a ball that rather asked to hit the first, with the left. Incomprehensible for a supposed killer like him.
The wolf had not been as fierce as they painted him but Sevilla left him alive and just after dawn the second half showed his teeth with a bite. Lukebakio struck, Navas and Steffen cleared badly, this time he hit the net (1-0, 47 ').
Lopetegui corrected or tried to correct the matter with a double understandable change in the substitutes but with little to understand in the resulting drawing, with Rakitic in no man's land (not his, at least) and False lamella, imperceptible 9, entangled between centrals and in an unknown position. The one who was closest to the goal before was Wolfsburg again, in a well-managed counter but misinterpreted by the giant Weghorst, who shot wide when two teammates awaited the pass, unmarked. Minutes later, Weghorst himself had the second again this time only against Bono, who put a saving foot, Casillas style.
The forward who was not on the field asked for the game and the Sevilla coach surprised again, not so much anymore, by putting the kid Iván Romero on Munir, on whom an ostracism continues to weigh that few understand, not even within the club. Lopetegui himself corrected the choice and introduced the Spanish-Moroccan in the midst of despair, even if it was for the final quarter hour. As soon as he left, Munir caused the lack of Sevilla's first notable occasion in the second half, a double shot inside the area that finished high and he helped get Wolfsburg into the area something else to see if something would happen. And it happened: the pseudo-penalty, by Lacroix's squad against Lamela, was transformed by Rakitic (1-1, 85 ') and Sevilla could even win in the final stretch, with a ball from Papu that crashed into the post. Greatness, luck or injustice?
Changes
Rekik (45 ', Marcos Acuña), Lamella (51 ', Suso), Rakitic (52 ', Rafa Mir), Lukas nmecha (61 ', Mbabu), Ivan romero (69 ', Joan Jordán), Waldschmidt (73 ', Renato Steffen), Munir (73 ', Lucas Ocampos), Gerhardt (91 ', Wouter Weghorst)
Goals
1-0, 47 ': Renato steffen, 1-1, 86 ': Rakitic
Cards
Referee: Georgi Kabakov
VAR Referee: Kevin Blom
Maxence lacroix (0 ', Yellow) Renato steffen (15 ', Yellow) Suso (23 ', Yellow) Rafa mir (47 ', Yellow) Mbabu (49 ', Yellow) Guilavogui (78 ', Yellow) Rekik (81 ', Yellow) Guilavogui (84 ', Red) Wouter Weghorst (84 ', Yellow) Roussillon (94 ', Yellow
Group G |
PT |
Pj |
PG |
PE |
PP |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Group G |
PT |
Pj |
PG |
PE |
PP |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |