Stunning Sevilla rally
With their team down 3-0 after only 30 minutes, some Sevilla fans started heading out of Sanchez PizjuanStadium. They left too soon. Sevilla recovered from Liverpool’s blitz start by salvaging a 3-3 draw with an injury-time equaliser in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Roberto Firmino scored twice and set up Sadio Mane’s goal in the first half-hour. But the hosts rallied with a pair of goals by Wissam Ben Yedder in the second half. Guido Pizarro’s late equalizer came from inside the area after Liverpool’s defence failed to fully clear a corner kick.
“Since I was a kid I’ve always dreamed of playing in an important match which was that dramatic and which ended so well,” Pizarro said.
FINAL ROUND
Liverpool could have secured their return to the knockout stage after an eight-year absence, but head home for the final round needing not to lose to Spartak Moscow, who were just three points behind.
Spartak, held by last-place Maribor to 1-1 in Russia, remain with a chance of advancing.
Sevilla play their final Group E game at already eliminated Maribor on December 6, when Liverpool host Spartak.
“The first half scoreline was down to individual errors,” Sevilla coach Eduardo Berizzo said. “What we had to do was react and rely on our personal pride to turn things around. In the second half Liverpool barely crossed the half-way line.”
A home win yesterday would have been enough for Sevilla to advance from the group stage for the second consecutive season, but Liverpool shot out of the gate.