Sevilla has retained its Europa League title to claim the trophy for a record fourth time with a 3-2 victory over plucky Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk thanks to Carlos Bacca’s double in an exciting final.
Colombia striker Bacca netted the winner with 17 minutes left to seal victory at Warsaw’s National Stadium on Thursday morning after a pulsating first half in which four goals were scored as the teams went into the dressing rooms on level terms.
It was an end-to-end battle for most of the match with Dnipro grabbing an early lead through Nikola Kalinic before Sevilla hit back with goals by Grzegorz Krychowiak and Bacca.
When Dnipro captain Ruslan Rotan curled home a precise freekick to make it 2-2 just before the beak it looked like the Ukrainians, who were playing in their first European final, might go on to cause a stunning upset.
But Bacca grabbed his second goal late on to settle the encounter and secure a Champions League qualifying place which is handed to the winners for the first time.
Predictions that this would be a cagey encounter with Dnipro deploying players behind the ball in the hope of frustrating Sevilla’s free-scoring forwards were swiftly confounded as both teams tore into each with ferocity from the start.
The second half was a much nervier affair with Sevilla’s Stephane Mbia and Krychowiak failing to capitalise on half chances before Sevilla struck the decisive blow.
Vitolo’s flicked pass found Bacca who managed to stay onside as he turned in the area and drilled the ball home.
Source: AAP