Sevilla vs Getafe. Spanish La Liga.
Estadio Ramon Sanchez PizjuanAttendance34,600.
Sunday 14 September 2014 22:05, UK
Carlos Bacca's penalty and an Alex Vidal tap-in secured Sevilla a 2-0 Primera Division victory over Getafe at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium on Sunday.
A first half of few opportunities burst into life when Getafe goalkeeper Vicente Guaita came to meet a Denis Suarez corner three minutes before the break but succeeded only in punching Grzegorz Krychowiak and conceding a penalty which Bacca duly converted.
Sevilla keeper Sergio Rico dived acrobatically to his left to keep out a Fredy Hinestroza bicycle kick in the 87th minute before Vidal prodded home Sevilla's second goal 30 seconds later after a quick counter-attack to make the points safe for the hosts.
The win sees Sevilla move up to fourth with seven points from their first three games, while Getafe stay 14th with just the one victory from their opening trio of fixtures.
Neither side were willing to commit too many men forward in the opening exchanges and it took until the 15th minute for the first effort of note to be registered and it fell to Bacca.
The Colombia striker, who scored 21 goals in 52 appearances in his first season in Andalusia last term, let fly from 30 yards but could not hit the target as the ball sailed harmlessly wide of Guaita's left upright.
Alvaro Arroyo and Krychowiak picked up cautions before Guaita's moment of madness just before the break gave Sevilla the lead.
Suarez whipped in a teasing corner that the 27-year-old keeper was always unlikely to reach and instead of punching clear, his fist clattered into Krychowiak and referee Alfonso Alvarez immediately pointed to the spot before compiling Guaita's misery by showing him the yellow card.
Daniel Carrico and Ruano Alexis were also cautioned as tempers flared but once order had been restored, Bacca made no mistake from the spot, sending Guaita the wrong way to score his second league goal of the new campaign.
Cosmin Contra introduced Diego Castro and Hinestroza 11 minutes after the restart as Getafe went in search of an equaliser but the visitors could not create any clear-cut chances.
Herrero Michel was booked for dissent shortly after the hour mark and Castro was also cautioned for kicking the ball at a prone Sevilla player as their frustrations grew as Sevilla remained solid in defence.
Sergio Escudero and Hinestroza also went into the book as Alvarez showed no fewer then nine yellow cards during the match - with seven being awarded to Contra's side.
Castro and Hinestroza settled into the game and eventually gave the Sevilla defenders plenty to ponder before the home side had Rico to thank for preserving their lead when he kept out Hinestroza's spectacular effort in the closing stages.
Sevilla immediately broke down the right flank and, cruelly for Getafe, Vidal tapped home Diogo Figueiras' cross to seal the points for Unai Emery's side.