Sevilla kept their European hopes alive and claimed a third victory on the bounce against Real Mallorca as Jesus Navas sealed a 3-1 win.
Hosts give European hopes a boost
Sevilla kept their European hopes alive and claimed their third Primera Liga victory on the bounce against Real Mallorca on Monday night as Jesus Navas sealed a 3-1 success.
Navas netted the third and final goal in the 68th minute after earlier second-half strikes from Alvaro Negredo and Manu, before Tomer Hemed snatched a late consolation for the visitors.
The visitors, who are still not safe from relegation, started well and pressed through the set-plays of Gonzalo Castro, before Sevilla came close to opening the scoring in the 14th minute.
Navas lashed a right-footed shot from six yards which was superbly tipped around the post by Mallorca keeper Dudu Aouate, before Ivan Ramis booted clear from the resulting corner.
Top form
Aouate was on top form again three minutes later to tip a close-range Manu effort round the post, and he denied Jose Antonio Reyes in the 27th minute with another fingertip save.
With the hosts dominant, Navas, Piotr Trochowski and Andujar Coke all shot wide, before Sevilla keeper Andres Palop was called into action for the first time just before the break when he saved from Fernando Tissone.
Sevilla finally broke the deadlock in the 51st minute when Negredo headed home a Reyes corner, and they doubled their lead 10 minutes later when Navas fed Manu from the right and the striker fired low past Aouate.
The hosts were home and dry in the 68th minute when Manu turned provider to set up Navas to steer home from close range. And, despite Hemed's 74th-minute strike - he found the top corner from Pablo Caceres' cross - Sevilla eased home for a win which took them up to eighth place in the table.
