COKE supplied the fizz for Sevilla as Jurgen Klopp’s party fell flat.
The Spanish winger grabbed a double to add to Kevin Gameiro’s speedy second-half strike as the La Liga side came from behind to win their THIRD Europa League on the trot.
It had all looked so different for Liverpool when an outrageous swing of Daniel Sturridge’s left boot put them in front.
But Klopp will have to put the champagne on ice again as the Kop boss suffered his fifth final defeat in a row.
There will be no need for the planned trophy parade on Merseyside today as Klopp’s hopes of a big party perished inside 25 second-half minutes.
Liverpool could complain they might have had three penalties for handball in the first half, or that Coke’s second could have been ruled out for offside.
But they had Sevilla shaking in the first half and failed to finish the job.
And there was not be another historic European comeback to add to their collection once they went behind.
It felt like it would be their night too with most of St Jakob-Park backing the men in red.
The 20,000-plus fans that made the trip from Liverpool seemed to have got in with just a corner occupied by the Sevilla supporters looking for more glory in this competition.
The atmosphere was electric in the build-up and a few minor scuffles at one end between rival supporters before kick-off did not spoil the cracking cup final atmosphere.
As soon as Liverpool settled they looked set to sail through the 90 minutes as Sturridge forced Daniel Carrico to turn a header off the line after he had beaten keeper David Soria early on.
Soria was in action again to deny Sturridge after Adam Lallana slotted him in with a perfect pass.
Seville needed to get dangerman Gameiro involved more as he had scored half of their 14 goals in this competition before last night.
He would later get his eighth of the competition but first the Frenchman tried an ambitious overhead kick in the 32nd minute that went just wide.
And the brilliance came at the other end from Liverpool’s dangerman moments later when Sturridge sensationally curled one into the bottom corner with the outside of his left boot.
The England striker was then within a stud’s length of his second when Nathaniel Clyne swept a ball into the area just before the break.
But just 17 seconds after the restart Sevilla were level thanks to Gameiro, and Liverpool were rattled.
Calamitious defending from Alberto Moreno saw the former Sevilla man head weakly away before he was easily beaten by Mariano, who then slid across for Gamerio and the easiest of finishes.
The striker almost had a second immediately afterwards but a brilliant last-ditch tackle from Kolo Toure denied him before he volleyed one into the ground and Kop keeper Simon Mignolet saved.

No comments:
Post a Comment