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Ten-Man Racing Stun Sevilla By Two Goals
Nikola Zigic was the provider and goal-getter, but Racing's defensive performance was the real star of the show as Sevilla lurches to another home defeat.
Jan 25, 2009 2:58:33 PM
Sevilla 0-2 Racing Santander
Sevilla will rue missed chances, but Racing will have every reason to feel proud after a gutsy display at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan that helped their European challenge no end.
The hosts, knowing that Villarreal, Atletico Madrid, and Valencia had already dropped points that weekend, went into this game knowing that they could cement their faint but still present title credentials with a win. But despite this they started slowly.
Indeed, the Santander side had the better opening, although they were to have few chances. Romaric's free-kick at the other end was about all Sevilla could muster, and thus the visitors began to fancy their chances., even after Pablo Pinillos had to come on for the injured Juan Varela.
Racing's spirits were to be lifted even further after they took a 23rd minute lea. Inevitably the head of Nikola Zigic was involved: in came Pedro Munitis' free-kick from the right, where Zigic rose above absent marker Frederic Kanoute to head it goalwards. Andres Palop was able to tip the ball off the crossbar, but there was Cesar Navas, unmarked, to fire into an empty goal from six yards.
The visitors continued to look lively until a controversial sending off just after the half hour mark. Sevilla launched a counter down the right and, while still in his own half, Adriano found himself scythed down by Oscar Serrano. It was a clumsy challenge - the winger had made an attempt to win the ball, but failed, meaning a booking - but referee Alvarez Izquierdo opted to show a red card for reasons unknown.
Predictably Sevilla took advantage of their advantage, working some fine moves in the midfield and down the flank, but end-product was increasingly hard to come by. This prompted a half-time substitution: forgotten man Javier Chevanton came on for center-back Julien Escude in the most attacking of attacking changes.
Immediately it seemed to backfire as once again Sevilla were made to suffer from a set-piece occasion. Nikola Zigic, predictably enough, teamed up with Pedro Munitis to head home the diminutive front-man's free-kick to double the lead.
Sevilla were in deep trouble and needed a spark; Luis Fabiano looked as if he was going to capitalize on a good run up the left but instead he skied his shot at a vital moment.
Racing, having to adapt to the tide of the game slowly turning against them, took off forward Jonathan Pereira for Toni Moral, thus reverting to one up front; it was backs-to-the-wall for them as Pablo Pinillos, the fiery substitute, put in a tremendous block to prevent Chevanton from scoring after a goalmouth scramble on the hour mark.
But as well as last-ditch defending, wastefulness was costing Sevilla; the off-form Luis Fabiano blazed a volley over the bar after good work from Romaric.
Romaric soon came off for Maresca, with Teemu Pukki replacing Dragutinovic, and Sevilla threw everything forward.
But Racing, despite picking up a pile of bookings as the game drew on, were defending well and even attempting the odd counter-attack despite having just one up front.
The impressive Chevanton, though, had other ideas, as he played a superb ball across goalmouth for Luis Fabiano, only for his forward partner to miss his connection.
Sevilla had a last chance of the 90 minutes as Marcano went in high on Luis Fabiano outside the box; the stopper came off just as badly, clutching his head, but it was nonetheless a free-kick against him. Chevanton struck it low and true, but Tono did well to hold it.
Chevanton then picked up a booking for appearing to tread over Tono as he raced for a loose ball; Nikola Zigic, to whom the little Uruguayan squared up, also received a yellow card.
But it was all just noise by this point: Sevilla had nowhere near enough to pick up even a point. They lacked the belief, the definition, or the firepower to overcome what was a hard-working Racing side that deservedly left with all three points, thanks to the performances of the back line, Colsa, and Zigic in particular.
Match Stats: Sevilla 0-1 Racing (La Liga)
--Goal.com
Inside Goal.Com
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