Ganso fires brace as Sevilla sink Adams’ Granada

MADRID: Paulo Henrique Ganso scored twice in his first start in more than three months to help Sevilla beat struggling Granada 2-0 in the La Liga.

Ganso, the promising Brazilian midfielder who was yet to break through since joining the Spanish club this season, opened the scoring with a shot from inside the area less than five minutes into the match on Friday and increased the lead from close range shortly after half-time at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium in Seville.

The victory moved Sevilla level on points with third-placed Atletico Madrid.

Third place automatically guarantees a Champions League spot next season, while the fourth-placed team have to go through a playoff.

“We will keep fighting until the end, match by match,” Sevilla coach Jorge Sampaoli said. “We need to keep adding points and see if Atletico falter.”

Granada, winless in eight matches, stayed second-to-last in the 20-team standings, seven points from safety with five matches to go.

“Mathematically we still haven’t been relegated so it’s our obligation to give our lives in every match,” Granada defender David Lomban said.

“We need to do that for the fans, for the people of Granada. Of course it’s difficult, but we must give everything we have until the final day.”

It was Granada’s second game with former Arsenal captain Tony Adams at the helm.

“We are in a very difficult situation,” Adams said. “The goals early in each half hurt us a lot.”

It was only the second time Ganso had scored for Sevilla. The other goal had come in a 9-1 rout of FourthDivision club Formentera in the Spanish King’s Cup last year.

Ganso hadn’t started since a 3-0 loss to Real Madrid in a King’s Cup match in January.

He has played in only 13 games this season.

The talented playmaker thrived alongside Neymar with Brazilian club Santos, with many in Brazil saying that they had the same potential to succeed in European football. — AP.