Substitute Rodri scored a late, late winner for 10-man Sevilla
to send his side into the Champions League and break Real Mallorca's
hearts.
With Mallorca beating Espanyol and Sevilla level after 90 minutes,
it seemed the islanders were heading into Europe's elite after a
fine Primera Liga season.
But 19-year-old Rodri, a product of Sevilla's youth system, came
off the bench to finish acrobatically four minutes into stoppage
time.
Almeria had twice levelled to keep Mallorca on the brink, through
Fernando Soriano and Juanma Ortiz, after Frederic Kanoute and a
Chico own goal had given Sevilla the advantage.
Sevilla also played the last 25 minutes with 10 men after Alvaro
Negredo saw red.
From the outset, Sevilla, who had the unfit Luis Fabiano on the
bench, looked nervous.
Andres Palop came off his line to deny Pablo Piatti in the third
minute as he advanced into area, then Michel dragged the ball wide
from a similar position.
Moments later, Albert Crusat advanced down the left and sent a
low centre across the six-yard box, just ahead of Piatti.
Kanoute sent in an awkward looking volley after nine minutes, Esteban
fisting clear.
After 11 minutes, Leonardo Borzani struck the ball against the
arm of Marius Stankevicius in the area, but, with the contact from
close range, the referee turned down Almeria's penalty claims.
The ball then broke to Chico, who fired over.
Almeria kept up the pressure as Corona fired a free-kick against
the crossbar from a narrow angle, so it was very much against the
run of play when Kanoute put Sevilla ahead.
Jesus Navas curled in a cross from the right and Kanoute leapt
high to power a header home off the post.
Crusat was causing problems down the left and he again beat Stankevicius
after 29 minutes to get a dangerous cross in.
Piatti got there ahead of Palop but could only head over the bar.
Almeria levelled a minute before the break as David Rodriguez crossed
for Soriano to send a fine left-foot volley into the far corner.
Sevilla needed just nine minutes of the second period to retake
the lead, albeit in fortuitous fashion.
Capel played the ball out to Navas on the right, whose cross was
punched by Esteban against Chico - with Negredo in close attendance
- and into the net.
Negredo then saw red, seemingly for words exchanged with the officials.
Eleven minutes from the end, Sevilla seemed to have lost their
chance.
Ortiz turned inside and sent a devastating curling right-foot effort
into the far corner.
And in truth it was Almeria who looked more like scoring a winner
with Ortiz threatening on several occasions.
But deep into stoppage time, Navas crossed, Sebastien Squillaci
acrobatically kept the ball in the danger zone and Rodri produced
a fine improvised finish to spark wild celebrations among the Sevilla
fans.
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