First Division - Day 5

Sevilla 1 - Betis 0

Sevilla: Sergio Rico; Mariano, Nico Pareja, Mercado, Escudero; N’Zonzi, Iborra (Sarabia 69‘); Vitolo, Franco Vázquez (Kranevitter 77‘), Nasri; Vietto (Carlos Fernández 88‘). 4-2-3-1.
Betis: Adán; Piccini, Bruno, Pezzella, Durmisi (Musonda 70‘); Brasanac (Dani Ceballos 61‘), Petros, Felipe Gutiérrez; Joaquín (Ryan Donk 82‘), Alex Alegría, Rubén Castro. 4-3-3.

Goals:
1-0. 51. Mercado. Got a slight touch to Nasri free kick to deflect ball past Adán.

Yellow cards: Petros 02’, Pezzella 11’, Franco Vázquez 16’, Nasri 32’, Piccini 40’, Sarabia 78’, Bruno 85’, Nico Pareja 85’, Mercado 85’.

The big derby game between Sevilla and Betis took place on Tuesday evening, the locals running out 1-0 victors in what was, as always, a physical match. Sampaoli’s side had the better of the first half, Vázquez, Escudero and Vietto all wasting chances, and some six minutes in to the second half Mercado got a slight touch to Nasri’s free kick to deflect the ball past Adán. Two minutes later though it looked as if the visitors had levelled it when Alex Alegría turned a Rubén Castro cross in to the net, but referee Estrada Fernández ruled out the strike for a non-existent offside. Durmisi fired a free kick over the top and Castro brought a good save out of Sergio Rico later on the second half, but Vázquez came close to increasing the lead with a shot which went just past the post. Bragging rights to the red side of Sevilla though, and they end the day in second spot pending the rest of the midweek matches.