Holders Sevilla stay on track for third straight title

LONDON: Holders Sevilla are wellversed in the art of getting results in two-legged knockout ties and their bid for a third successive Europa League title stayed firmly on course with a 2-1 win at La Liga rivals Athletic Bilbao.

Villarreal, the third Spanish club in the last eight of Europe’s second-tier competition, also enjoyed first-leg success with a 2-1 win at home to Sparta Prague, while Shakhtar Donetsk won at Braga by the same scoreline.

Villarreal came into their clash against Sparta Prague with a 100% record at home in Europe this season without having conceded a goal, while Sparta had gone 12 matches unbeaten in the competition.

Sevilla, aiming to become the first side to lift the trophy for three years running, but had not won an away game in Europe or La Liga all season and were behind early in the second half.

Atheltic’s Aritz Aduriz, the Europa League’s top scorer this season, got his ninth in the competition when he dipped low at the back post to head Iker Muniain’s cross past keeper David Soria three minutes into the second half.

The two teams were level on the night, however, when Muniain’s poor header back was intercepted by Ever Banega, who fed Timothee Kolodziejczak to finish left-footed after 56 minutes.

The comeback was complete with seven minutes remaining when Kevin Gameiro found Vicente Iborra on the counter and he poked the ball past Bilbao goalkeeper Iago Herrerin.

Donetsk started their game with Braga on the back of an 8-1 domestic victory over Metalist Kharkiv, in sharp contrast to their Portuguese opponents, who lost 5-1 to Benfica in their last outing.

The Ukrainian side took the lead through Yaroslav Rakitskiy’s volley just before halftime, and Facundo Ferreyra doubled the advantage with 15 minutes remaining when he diverted a cross into the Braga net.

Wilson Eduardo gave Braga a lifeline, however, when he headed home in the 89th minute. — Reuters