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MOTD: Sevilla 3-2 Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk

By on May 27, 2015

This is how a final should be.  There were thrills and spills and tricks and flicks galore.  There was also emotion of the sort that reflects the tight, nervy final that has come to dominate top-level football; today, the story was one of free-flowing, intense, end-to-end football.  The passion was patently evident even in the little tasks, such as goalkeepers’ forming free-kick walls, though the official did well to kept everything in check throughout the evening.

As for the end result, it was goals, goals, and more goals; five by the end of ninety minutes – very impressive for a European final.  Sometimes, it’s nice to simply avoid the controversy and enjoy some flowing, passionate, and open football, especially on a day needing a reminder of the good side of the game.  It was the little things that made the match special, such as every player surging after every ball no matter the likelihood of getting to it.  When the cameras panned to head shots, whether it be after a goal, tackle, or missed chance, the passion was etched into every players’ face, be it through a grimace or a grin.  Even the kits represented the purity of the match: all red verses all blue.  No frills or patterns.

Everything functioned perfectly.  The 45,000 fans packed into the National Stadium in Warsaw found the stadium just as functional as it is beautiful and in return offered an unforgettable atmosphere.

Everything, that is, except for Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk’s defense.  It may be a result of wear and tear — they’ve played all of their European home games on the opposite side of the country given the conflict in Ukraine — or simply inferior quality and experience, but for all their hearts could give, Dnipro were plagued by defensive errors.

There was an element of an underdog story, Sevilla being the reigning champions, but Dnipro quickly squashed all critics; on a counter-attack just seven minutes in, Nikola Kalinic headed Matheus Nascimento’s cross home at the far post.  It had already had an open, enthralling start, yet the goal put to bed any chances of a cagey affair.

Sevilla marauded forward, with Jose Antonio Reyes’ curling effort forcing Denys Boyko into a brilliant finger-tip save in the twentieth minute.  Grzegorz Krychowiak then tested Boyko from a corner and the equalizer came in the twenty-eighth minute.  From a short corner, the ball came to Krychowiak fifteen yards out and on the turn, the Polish midfielder sliced a low volley into the bottom right corner of the net.  Within the space of three minutes, Sevilla completed the turnaround.

There was an element of an underdog story, Sevilla being the reigning champions, but Dnipro quickly squashed all critics; on a counter-attack just seven minutes in, Nikola Kalinic headed Matheus Nascimento’s cross home at the far post.  It had already had an open, enthralling start, yet the goal put to bed any chances of a cagey affair.

Sevilla marauded forward, with Jose Antonio Reyes’ curling effort forcing Denys Boyko into a brilliant finger-tip save in the twentieth minute.  Grzegorz Krychowiak then tested Boyko from a corner and the equalizer came in the twenty-eighth minute.  From a short corner, the ball came to Krychowiak fifteen yards out and on the turn, the Polish midfielder sliced a low volley into the bottom right corner of the net.

Within the space of three minutes, Sevilla had completed the turnaround as Carlos Bacca was slipped through on goal between Dnipro’s left-back and center-back.  The Colombian rounded Boyko and coolly tucked a low finish home, quieting the Dnipro fans behind the goal.

However, Dnipro slowly fought their way back into the match.  Yevhen Konoplyanka’s curling, twenty-five yard beauty was just tipped wide by Sergio Rico thirty-eight minutes in as Dnipro pushed for an equalizer, although the Ukrainian champions were lucky to not go down another goal with Aleix Vidal blazing a twenty-five yard effort over on the break.  But on the brink of the half, Dnipro added another twist to the tale when captain Ruslan Rotan curled a near-post free-kick up, over the wall and into the back of the net in an almost nonchalant fashion.

Weary legs played into the second half proceedings, slowing the pace a smidgen and stretching the game.  Dnipro had countless free-kick routines to stay ahead of the game, but more by luck than design, it was Sevilla who took the lead with seventeen minutes to go.  Dnipro failed to clear a high ball on the edge of their box, allowing Vitolo to poke it forward.  The ball fell right into the path of Bacca, who emphatically tucked an outside-of-the-boot finish past Boyko.  Soon afterward, Bacca was denied hat-trick as Boyko produced a magnificent reaction save to deny the midfielder’s powerful header.

And though Dnipro were down and beaten, they must be credited for never losing hope until the very final seconds.  Even when Matheus collapsed with an apparent concussion, leaving Dnipro with ten men for the closing stages, the Ukrainian side chased after every ball with respectable vigor.  It just wasn’t their day and Sevilla retained their Europa League title.

In the end, it was all too much for Bacca.  He sat on the bench with his head down and cried, before quickly escaping down the tunnel.  Eventually, he reappeared for the raucous celebrations that accompany a major trophy and automatic Champions League qualification.
Man of the Match: Carlos Bacca.

Photo credit: Martin Abegglen on Flickr

About Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.