Sevilla 2 - Betis 1

Sevilla: Esteban; Sergio Ramos, Javi Navarro, Aitor Ocio, David; Martí, Renato; Daniel Alves (Redondo 92'), Baptista, Jesuli (Jordi 75'); Carlitos (Antoñito 60'). 4-2-3-1.
Betis: Doblas; Melli, Juanito, Rivas, Tais (Luis Fernández 82'); Cañas (Benjamín 63'), Marcos Assunçao; Joaquín, Edu, Fernando; Oliveira. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Sevilla: Sergio Ramos, Martí for Jordi, Fernando Sales / Betis: Rivas, Tais, Cañas for Varela, Luis Fernández, Capi.

Goals:
1-0. 03. Daniel Alves. Picked up Carlitos pass and ran on to shoot in off post.
1-1. 43. Fernando. From left of goal after Oliveira header blocked by defence.
2-1. 46. Javi Navarro. Got ahead of defence to head Jesuli cross past Doblas.

No doubt the biggest match on Sunday was the city derby between Sevilla and Betis, all the more interesting as both clubs started the day in the UEFA cup spots and the visitors had not beaten their rivals in the last eleven games spread over a period of eight years. There was controversy at the start though as referee Teixeira Vitienes ruled (for the first time in 98 years of such matches) that the Betis green and white striped shirt with black shorts clashed with Sevilla's all white with red trim, and members of the visitors' staff were forced to race back against the heavy traffic to fetch the change kit from their own ground.

That delayed the match by 45 minutes, but when they did kick off there was an exciting start, with Joaquín (possibly playing his last derby before moving to Chelsea) shooting just wide and then Daniel Alves picking up a Carlitos pass to run past a couple of defenders and fire a shot in off the post to open the scoring. Carlitos had what could have been a second goal disallowed for offside, but two minutes before the break Fernando levelled the scores after picking up a loose ball when Oliveira's header from Joaquín's cross was blocked.

Just a minute after the restart though, Sevilla were back in front, Javi Navarro heading wide of Doblas after Jesuli crossed in from the left. A few minutes later Teixeira turned down a penalty appeal for a foul by Doblas on Alves, but the home side were let off twice when Esteban tipped Assunçao's free kick onto the bar and then Oliveira hit the post (albeit he was ruled offside afterwards). Doblas saved well from Baptista and Carlitos, but when substitute Luis Fernández picked up two bookings in the space of four minutes shortly after coming on it was all over. Sevilla were just a point off the Champions League spots and Betis drop out of the European places.