Deportivo La Coruna 2 - 3 Sevilla: Mercado grabs last-gasp winner as Sevilla hit back to stun Depor

Posted Saturday, November 19, 2016 by PA

Gabriel Mercado was the hugely controversial match-winner for Sevilla as they came from 2-0 down to beat Deportivo La Coruna 3-2 at the Estadio Riazor.

Goals from Ryan Babel and Florin Andone put the hosts in command, but Steven Nzonzi halved the deficit just before half-time.

Mercado could arguably have been red-carded for shoving Andone to the ground with a quarter of an hour to go, but then popped up with the winner in injury time after Vitolo had drawn the visitors level.

It could prove to be a vital win for Sevilla, who needed a result to boost their Champions League qualification hopes after a defeat to Barcelona prior to the international break.

A slip by Paulo Henrique Ganso ceded possession to Depor, and Juanfran's cross from the right was well guided home by the head of Babel with a minute and a half on the clock in Galicia.

Sevilla dominated first-half possession and chances, with the best falling to Pablo Sarabia. Ganso flicked a delicious pass into Sarabia's path, but Depor goalkeeper Przemyslaw Tyton closed down the angle and blocked his shot.

Jorge Sampaoli's men were punished for not taking those chances when Andone added a second. Babel gave him the ball on the right flank and the Romanian still had plenty to do, but nutmegged Nico Pareja and darted between two more Sevilla defenders before rolling a left-foot shot past Sergio Rico.

But Sevilla responded instantly as Nzonzi controlled Sergio Escudero's cutback from the left and steered a low effort with his left foot past Tyton.

The Polish goalkeeper got a crucial touch to a Vitolo cross as Sarabia looked poised to score midway through the second half, before controversy struck at the other end.

Andone bore down on goal in the 74th minute and was about to pull the trigger when Gabriel Mercado shoved him to the ground in the box. Incredibly the referee waved away the penalty appeals.

The hosts' sense of injustice was heightened when a spell of Sevilla pressure ended with the ball deflecting to Vitolo in space in the box and he steered a shot past Tyton.

Worse was to come when Mercado pounced from close range after Tyton could not hold on to Pareja's shot from Franco Vazquez's corner.