Martinelli raced 50 yards to score the opener in the final seconds of first-half stoppage-time, and on 53 minutes Jesus netted for the third straight Champions League game in spectacular style to put us in command.
The players emerged to a cacophony of noise inside the Estadio Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan as the home crowd tried to gain an early advantage, but we would have the best chance of the opening 15 minutes.
Gabriel Jesus burst forward and played in Martinelli who went one-on-one with Orjan Nyland in the Sevilla goal, but saw his attempt stopped by the foot of the shot-stopper with the ball unfortunately ricocheting off our man and out.–
Ironically as the rain came down, the chances dried up as the half went on, but the next best two went to the reigning Europa League holders.
Lucas Ocampos prodded wide after making a good run, and as the half entered stoppage time, Youssef En-Nesyri dragged an effort just past David Raya’s far post in what was the home side’s best move of the half. –
That looked to be that for the first half, until our trio of Brazilians sprang Sevilla with a surprise in its final seconds. While the Spanish side were probing in our box, Gabriel cleared to Gabriel Jesus who skillfully trapped the ball, and then bettered that with a Cruyff turn that dazzled both Gudelj and Boubakary Soumare. –
That allowed him to feed Martinelli who had a whole half of empty pitch to run into, and he calmly used it all to advance around Nyland and slot into the net to hand us a half-time lead.–