Sevilla on Monday missed a chance to strengthen their hold on third place in La Liga after conceding an 87th-minute own-goal in drawing 1-1 with Levante UD.
Luuk de Jong put Sevilla ahead a few seconds into the second half, but a fluke near the end gave the hosts a draw as a cross partially saved by goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik ricocheted off defender Diego Carlos and went into the net.
Sevilla were on their way to opening a six-point gap to fourth-placed Real Sociedad had they held on to the victory. It would also have moved within six points of second-placed Real Madrid, although the team’s main goal this season is to finish in the top four and guarantee a return to the UEFA Champions League.
Photo: AFP
Sevilla last played in the European competition in the 2017-2018 season, reaching the quarter-finals.
Real Sociedad can move to a point behind Sevilla if they win at Deportivo Alaves tomorrow. Fifth-placed Getafe and sixth-placed Atletico Madrid were five points behind Sevilla ahead of their midweek games.
“It’s not a good feeling,” Sevilla coach Julen Lopetegui said. “We played well for 75 minutes, but in the end we conceded too much space and they improved. It’s my responsibility because with five substitutions the team was supposed to get better, but it was the opposite.”
The match at Levante was Sevilla’s second after the league resumed following a suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They restarted the league on Thursday last week by beating city rivals Real Betis Balompie 2-0.
Betis followed the derby loss by drawing 2-2 at home with Granada in a game in which they rallied to take the lead with goals in the 85th and 87th minutes, but conceded an equalizer a minute into stoppage-time.
Betis, who defeated Real Madrid in their final match before La Liga was suspended, stayed in 13th place. Granada moved to eighth.
Sevilla had the most significant chances from the start against Levante, but could not capitalize on them until De Jong scored from a Munir El Haddadi pass after a fast counterattack less than 30 seconds into the second half.
El Haddadi struck the crossbar from a 15th-minute free-kick and Carlos had a goal disallowed in the 54th minute for a foul inside the penalty area.
There was not much Carlos could do when the the ball hit him and went into the net after Vaclik could not hold on to a low cross by Levante defender Jorge Miramon.
Levante nearly got a late winner when Borja Mayoral’s low shot forced Vaclik to make a difficult save by the post in the 90th minute.
Levante are playing their home matches at the Estadio Camilo Cano in La Nucia, about 100km from their base as the Estadi Ciutat de Valencia is being renovated.
Large banners with photographs of Levante fans were in the empty stands of the Camilo Cano.
Sevilla on Friday host leaders Barcelona, while Levante, 12th, visit RCD Espanyol the following day.
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