Ejuke, a winger unknown to the general public and the work of Víctor Orta, Sevilla’s sporting director, prevented a major fire in Nervión. The goal from the Sevilla player calmed the troubled waters at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán, where Sevilla played under extreme tension. The Andalusian victory was the culmination of a very discreet game in the first half and much more exciting in the second. Valladolid had courage in the second half and equalised with a goal from Kike Pérez against a rival affected by Saúl’s injury. With everything against them, the locals, led by Suso, Lukebakio and Ejuke, had the personality to win the match and get three points that should give confidence to the group and to a coaching staff led by García Pimienta who is quite affected. To reinforce the coach’s image, the news broke in the press room, when Pimienta himself announced that the club had extended his contract until 2027. “The president has announced it in the dressing room. Everything is agreed and all that remains is to sign the contracts. I appreciate the club’s trust,” clarified the coach. After the match, the president, José María del Nido Carrasco, stood in the dressing room and announced the news of the contract extension. “The directors see me working. I don’t know why they didn’t offer it to me in the summer. They have proposed the renewal now and I have accepted, logically. It hasn’t surprised me nor has it stopped surprising me,” clarified the Sevilla coach, who has just renewed his contract.
2
Ørjan Nyland, Marcão, Loïc Badé, Valentín Barco (Kike Salas, min. 90), José Ángel Carmona, Dodi Lukébakio, Peque (Gonzalo Montiel, min. 90), Jesús Navas (Chidera Ejuke, min. 60), Nemanja Gudelj, Saúl Ñíguez (Lucien Agoumé, min. 52) and Kelechi Iheanacho (Suso, min. 61)
1
Karl Hein, David Torres, Lucas Rosa, Eray Cömert, Luis Pérez, Mario Martín, Kike Pérez (Juanmi Latasa, min. 56), Stanko Juric (Mamadou Sylla, min. 85), Marcos André (Víctor Meseguer, min. 72) , Amath Ndiaye (Iván Sánchez, min. 45) and Darwin Machís (Raúl Moro, min. 56)
Goals
1-0 min. 44: David Torres. 1-1 min. 55: Kike. 2-1 min. 84: Chidera Ejuke
Referee Juan Luis Pulido Santana
Pezzolano (min. 5), Gudelj (min. 20), Marcos André (min. 32), Lucas Rosa (min. 36), Lukebakio (min. 66), Marcao (min. 77), Stanko Juric (min. 81 ), Peque (min. 90), David Torres (min. 94)
Red cards
Marked (min. 89)
After 15 minutes of panic, where Valladolid even had chances to turn the game around after their goal, Sevilla got into the game and had chances through Peque and Lukebakio. Until Ejuke got it right. They still had to suffer with the expulsion of Marcao in the last minute and a seven-minute overtime where the fans supported their team. How things have changed at the Sánchez Pizjuán. The victory was celebrated as if it were one of the seven UEFA Cups that this club has. Times, clearly, are different.
It is not clear what Sevilla and Valladolid were up to in a very discreet first half. With the game a wasteland, without a single shot on target in 44 minutes of absolute tedium, a certain amount of force was enough, an anticipation by Carmona, to trigger a chain of events that ended with Peque’s goal. It was the first shot on target in a low-quality game. Sevilla, very affected after the defeat in Vitoria, was a bundle of nerves. Valladolid, on the other hand, competes with few resources and will have a hard time keeping up. This Sevilla, which parades Jesús Navas around as if he were the Cid after death, is not up for much.
A team with some suspicious players, such as Iheanacho, while the video scoreboards showed goals from Kanouté at half-time. A nod, without a doubt, to a much more glorious past than the current present of a team that has lost much of its greatness.
Valladolid had the virtue of taking a step forward in the second half. However, everything went wrong for Sevilla. Saúl was injured in the 51st minute and Agoumé came on. The newcomer missed Mario Martín’s dribble and his cross into the area was finished off by Kike Pérez, who equalised. The Sánchez Pizjuán was in a state of panic. The atmosphere became tense as the fans feared the worst. García Pimienta took a gamble. He brought on Ejuke and Suso, placing Peque as centre forward. Agoumé improved his performance a lot and Sevilla, despite their limitations, turned the game around. Little by little, they began to push Valladolid back into their area, losing momentum and courage. Lukebakio had a first chance, Ejuke another clear one and Hein made a great save from Peque to the despair of the crowd. The path to victory, however, was open. Gudelj fought for the ball with faith and the rebound reached Ejuke, who got into the area and scored with a cross shot. Nervión exploded as on great nights. The fans understood it. They supported a group that was reduced to 10 men after Marcao was sent off in the last minute. They had to suffer and Sevilla did so to win. Win three points and, also, some peace of mind. Valladolid, very limited, has a hard road ahead to stay in the First Division. They lack many things to be a solvent team. They have now gone six games without a win (four defeats and two draws).
