Getafe 1 : 0 Sevilla - Setback for Sevilla

Posted Saturday, April 16, 2011 by PA

Sevilla's European hopes were dealt a severe blow as the Andalusians lost 1-0 at out-of-form Getafe.

Miku scored the only goal of the game when he took advantage of some poor marking by Federico Fazio to latch onto Dani Parejo's pass and beat Javi Varas.

Sevilla started the day in fifth position, eight points behind fourth-placed Villarreal, but had been making positive noises about a return to the Champions League.

With only six games now left, though, such a feat seems highly unlikely for Gregorio Manzano's side.

Manzano sold Brazil striker Luis Fabiano to Sao Paulo in the January transfer window and was deprived of the injured Fredi Kanoute for this fixture.

With Spain winger Jesus Navas also sidelined, Sevilla were missing their main creative outlet.

And it showed as Getafe, who had lost their last three league games, dominated in the first half.

Varas made good saves to deny Victor Sanchez, Javier Casquero and Adrian Sardinero in the opening 45 minutes.

The Sevilla keeper then produced a brilliant stop to deny Sardinero early in the second half and Miku missed a glorious chance not long after that.

But the visitors could only ride their luck for so long and Miku eventually forced the breakthrough with a quarter of an hour left, when he got in front of Fazio, controlled Parejo's lofted pass and slid the ball past Varas.

Sevilla stay fifth, but could drop out of the top six by the end of the weekend, while Getafe remain four points clear of the drop zone after a much-needed win.