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Sevilla and Espanyol to go head-to-head at Hampden

Werder Bremen captain Torsten Frings, right, and Espanyol's Ito challenge for the ball during the UEFA Cup semi-final second leg match between Werder Bremen and Espanyol Barcelona at the Weser Stadium, Bremen, Germany, on Thursday. PHOTO: AP

Sevilla and Espanyol will play in an all-Spanish UEFA Cup final.

Sevilla, the tournament's defending champion, advanced on Thursday after beating Osasuna 2-0 in the second leg of the semi-finals and 2-1 on aggregate. Espanyol reached the last game by beating Werder Bremen 2-1 and 5-1 on aggregate.

The final will be played at Hampden Park in Glasgow, Scotland, on May 16, with Sevilla trying to become the first team since Real Madrid in 1986 to win back-to-back UEFA Cup titles.

"We're happy to have reached a second European final," Sevilla coach Juande Ramos said. "Very few teams can manage this."

Luis Fabiano gave Sevilla the lead in the 37th minute, collecting the ball at the edge of the area and beating two defenders before sliding the ball under Osasuna goalkeeper Ricardo Lopez. Renato scored the second in the 53rd by poking a cross from Daniel Alves past Ricardo.

"At first we were bogged down but Luis Fabiano's goal was really important because it allowed us to reach halftime on level terms," Ramos said.

Sevilla players celebrate after beating Osasuna 2-0 in their UEFA Cup semi-final second leg match at the Sanchez Pizjuan stadium in Sevilla, Spain, on Thursday. PHOTO: AFP

Besides the UEFA Cup, Sevilla is trying to win the Spanish league title and Copa del Rey this year.

Osasuna, making its first appearance in the semi-finals of any European competition, packed its midfield with players and left Achille Webo as a lone attacker in an attempt to protect its 1-0 lead. Webo was replacing Roberto Soldado, who scored the lone goal in the first leg but was suspended for the second.

"We had a dream for ourselves and our fans but we only reached as far as this," Osasuna coach Jose Angel Ziganda said. "Until the goal we were relatively comfortable. They seemed anxious but we conceded the first goal too easily."

Ferran Corominas and Jesus Mari Lacruz scored a goal each for Espanyol after Hugo Almeida had given Bremen the lead and Miroslav Klose was sent off.

"We began badly because they scored an early goal which was something we wanted to avoid," Espanyol coach Ernesto Valverde said. "We needed more composure on the ball, but then we scored and everything became easier."

Almeida gave Bremen the lead after a defensive mix-up in the fourth minute. He scored from outside the area after Espanyol goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz came off his line to challenge the Bremen striker for the ball.

Corominas equalized in the 50th by scoring after Bremen goalkeeper Andreas Reinke could only palm away a shot by Albert Riera Lacruz headed in another in the 60th.

Espanyol played without the suspended Walter Pandiani, who leads the competition with 11 goals this season.
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