First Division - Day 23

Sevilla 3 - Atlético Madrid 1

Sevilla: Palop; Daniel Alves, Escudé, Aitor Ocio, David; Jesús Navas (Hinkel 65'), Martí, Renato, Antonio Puerta (Duda 78'); Luis Fabiano (Poulsen 41'), Kanouté. 4-4-2.
Atlético: Leo Franco; Seitaridis, Pablo, Perea, Pernía; Luccin (Galletti 46'), Maniche, Costinha (Gabi 63'), Mista (Jurado 46'); Agüero, Fernando Torres. 4-4-2.

Team changes: Sevilla: Escudé, Aitor Ocio, Martí, Renato, Antonio Puerta for Javi Navarro, Dragutinovic, Poulsen, Maresca, Adriano / Atlético: Costinha for Jurado.

Goals:
1-0. 14. Kanouté. Ran on to long ball to fire low shot past Leo Franco.
2-0. 21. Alves. Latched on to Navas pass and struck angled shot past keeper.
3-0. 73. Kanouté. Headed in close to goal after corner headed on.
3-1. 81. Pablo. Following up after Palop saved Fernando Torres penalty.

Sevilla beat fellow title candidates Atlético Madrid 3-1 to move joint top of the table, level with leaders Barcelona on points. The Andalusians got off to an electric start, Luis Fabiano bringing a good save out of Leo Franco before Kanouté ran on to Daniel Alves's long pass to open the scoring. And Alves made it two himself after Jesús Navas laid back a long cross from David with just over twenty minutes on the clock.

Soon afterwards Sevilla were left with ten men after Martí was sent off for a tackle from behind on Agüero, but even so Aitor Ocio had a goal ruled out for a borderline offside before the break. Referee Teixeira Vitienes also let David off a possible penalty for hands soon after the restart, but Kanouté made sure of the win when he headed in on the far post after Antonio Puerta had headed on an Alves corner.

With ten minutes to go Atlético were awarded a corner after Poulsen brought down Agüero in the area, and although Palop saved Fernando Torres's spot kick (the fifth he has missed this season), Pablo drove home the ball on the follow up. Jurado almost put the visitors back in the match soon afterwards when he tested the local keeper again, but the game ended a couple of minutes later, and Sevilla were back in contention.