Sevilla ease past Elche

Sevilla toasted their Europa League triumph with an emphatic 3-1 win over Elche on Sunday.

Sevilla toasted their Europa League triumph with an emphatic 3-1 win over Elche, rounding off the campaign in style at their Sanchez Pizjuan stadium. Midfielder Vicente Iborra tripled his goal tally for the season by opening the scoring for Sevilla and then adding a brilliant third, with Jairo Samperio also getting on the scoresheet on a comfortable night for Unai Emery's side. Richmond Boakye grabbed a consolation for the visitors in injury time. The result means little to Elche, having guaranteed survival a week earlier, although they end the season just one point and two places above the drop zone. Sevilla went into the game assured of a fifth-placed finish after Villarreal had beat Real Sociedad, but Emery's side still treated a packed stadium to a fine victory. Jose Antonio Reyes, Coke and Federico Fazio were the only players that featured in the Europa League final to make it into the starting line-up, and 17-year-old striker Carlos Fernandez and 18-year-old Antonio Cotan were given opportunities to prove their worth, earning their second respective starts for the first team. Elche fielded a more familiar side, but lacked the energy and enthusiasm of their hosts. Sevilla needed just 17 minutes to take the lead, some suspect marking facilitating the opening goal. Reyes headed down a corner towards Coke in the six-yard box, and the defender squared for Iborra to roll the ball into an empty net. Elche's Javi Flores nearly drew level towards the end of the first half, his volley was repelled by Javi Varas. Then the youngster Fernandez failed to take advantage of a glorious opportunity to score his first senior goal for the club, scuffing a shot after a lay off by Jairo. Early in the second half Varas reacted quickly to keep out a deflected effort from Javi Marquez, but any hopes of Elche drawing level were soon dashed by Jairo, who controlled a square ball from Diogo Figueiras in the box and then slotted home. Manu Herrera produced a fine save to deny Fernandez from close range, but just a minute later was picking the ball out of his net again. Reyes surged forward on a Sevilla counter and delivered an exquisite through ball for Iborra to volley home. Sevilla went searching for a fourth but saw their advantage reduced right at the end, Boakye appearing in the box to crash home a perfect pass from Garry Rodrigues.