Sevilla 1 : 1 Atletico de Madrid - Diawara earns Sevilla share of spoils

Posted Saturday, March 03, 2012 by PA

Sevilla scored a second-half equaliser through Papa Diawara as they and Atletico Madrid lost ground in the battle for the final Champions League spot in the Primera Division with a 1-1 draw.

Diawara pounced to cancel out an early opener through Eduardo Silva which left both sides four points away from the final Champions League spot in the table.

Atletico took the lead after eight minutes as Salvio got in front of his marker and headed a cross from Adrian Lopez past Andres Palop.

Six minutes later Salvio volleyed a high ball straight at Palop as Atletico tried to add to their lead.

Jose Antonio Reyes tried his luck with a shot across goal but was unable to trouble on-loan Chelsea keeper Thibaut Courtois as his effort went wide of the far post.

Reyes jinked his way into the area against his former team but when he cut the ball back to the edge of the area for Ivan Rakitic it was blocked by Juanfran as he went to ground.

Rakitic appealed for hand ball but referee Alfonso Alvarez Izquierdo was not impressed.

Salvio got in at the far post after Filipe Luis crossed from the left but his volley was pushed around the post by Palop who got down well to his left to save.

Jesus Navas got down the right but his low cross was missed by Diawara and the ball stuck his standing leg before rolling through to Courtois.

Sevilla had their best chance of the first half when Frederic Kanoute headed wide in stoppage time from a free-kick.

Sevilla were level eight minutes after the break as Navas broke down the right and hit a low cross into the path of Diawara who fired home from the edge of the area.

Lopez was offside when he shot from inside the area but Palop got down low to his left to turn the ball round the post.

Navas again got down the right but his cross for Diawara was behind the striker and as he tried to get his foot round the ball he made poor contact and it rolled through to Courtois.

Navas again got down the right in the dying moments but his low ball into the box to Manu del Moral found the substitute in an offside position as he steered it into the net and the goal was not allowed to stand.

Sevilla continued to push for a winner but had to settle for a share of the spoils.

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