SEVILLE, Spain (AP) — U. S. foreigner Ricardo Pepi came off the bench as PSV Eindhoven rallied from a two-goal lead over Sevilla and advanced to the knockout stage of the Champions League for the first time since 2015-16.
Pepi entered the match in the 83rd minute and scored the winner in stoppage time to give PSV a 3-2 victory over 10-man Sevilla on Wednesday.
“To be honest, when I saw that we were scoring the 2-2 goal, I spoke to (teammate) Patrick (van Aanholt) and said, ‘This is our moment,'” Pepi said. “We felt it was a vital goal, and we knew the winner was coming. “
The Dutch club, trailing Group B leaders Arsenal, beat third-placed Lens 6-0 in London.
PSV has 8 points, 4 behind Arsenal and 3 ahead of Lens, who lost the tie-break against PSV.
Sevilla were left with two problems and were eliminated. They will fight for third place (and a position in the Europa League) when they face Lens in the last round. This is the third consecutive season that the Spanish club has failed to make it past the next phase. the organization stage.
“In the Champions League, the big little points will make the difference,” said veteran defender Sergio Ramos, who scored the 10,000th goal in Champions League history from the organizational level to the final. “We were in control, but getting rid of A Boy was crucial. “
It’s PSV’s first away win in the Champions League since 2007. PSV won back-to-back matches at the festival (not including the knockout stages) for the first time since the 2006-07 season, when they won 3 consecutive matches in the organisation phase. quarter-finals, when they eliminated Liverpool. PSV had beaten Lens in the last round.
Sevilla opened the scoring in the 24th minute with Ramos getting his first goal since returning to Sevilla.
Youssef En-Nesyri increased the lead in the 47th minute, but PSV recovered after Sevilla striker Lucas Ocampos was sent off with a second yellow card in the 66th minute for a damaging sliding tackle.
Ismael Saibari pulled the visitors closer two minutes later with an adorable left-footed shot from the box after a cross from U. S. defender Sergiño Dest, and PSV equalized with an own goal from Nemanja Gudelj in the 81st minute before Pepi scored from Nemanja Gudelj. With a header from near the penalty spot, two minutes after stoppage time.
Sevilla midfielder Fernando was sent off in the final minutes.
The hosts had several things to extend their lead in the first half, first when Djibril Sow had a goal disallowed via video review for handball in the 39th minute, and then a minute later when En-Nesyri hit the crossbar with a dangerous header. . .
Ramos, 37, scored his 10,000th goal on a free kick taken by Ivan Rakitic. It was the veteran defender’s first goal for Sevilla since scoring in a 2-2 draw with Real Madrid in 2005, before joining the Spanish powerhouse.
“We have to keep our heads up,” Ramos said. “But it’s disappointing because you can’t be part of this competition. Today was a difficult defeat for the club.
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