Full Time Report, Champions League Playoff: Braga Vs Sevilla, Matheus gives Portugese upper hand in first leg
Braga have managed to take a surprise one nil first leg lead over their Spanish opponents, Sevilla in their Chmapions League play-off game thanks to a strike by Matheus right after the sixty minute mark. This goal was against the run off play as the Spanish were easily the more dominant side but failed to capitalize on the chances that they had.
Braga were playing in front of their home fans at their home ground the, Estadio AXA. The home crowd got behind their team and helped them take the game to their more illustrious opponents and started to test their resolve from the opening few minutes of the game. Despite this fact, it was Sevilla who created the first chance of the game.
Four minutes into the match Jesus Navas found himself making one of his signature runs down the wing and beating a defender before, whipping in a tantalizing cross that came off Luis Fabiano's head but crashed off the wood work. The Spanish team continued to dominate for most parts of the game, but they were unable to string together a series of passes or create any real openings.
They were also constantly bullied off the ball, by the more ruthless and physical Portuguese side. Barga's first real chance came on the seventeenth minute mark when a breathtaking cross from Alan was barely cleared by Julien Escude. The ball managed to drop kindly for Leandro Salino but his first time effort was blasted well past the top of the bar.
Moments after that chance by the home team, Sevilla had the ball in the back of the home teams net. Diego Capel flashed down the left wing and squared a delightful ball to Kanoute, who slotted home, however the flag had gone up for offside and the goal was disallowed. The next player to be caught offside was none other than Fabiano.
After some more hard work by Navas followed by some fancy footwork by Kanoute, the Brazilian forward was made free infront of the goal. However he was also ruled to be offside. Navas and Capel continued to wreck havoc for the Barga back four but they managed to pack the box well enough to keep the Spanish out and delt brilliantly with any deliveries that were whipped in.
Despite Sevilla easily being the stronger side, Braga finished the first half with the best chance of the game. On the forty fourth minute mark, Miguel Garcia played a delightful ball to Matheus who was clean on the goal but his effort was parried away by Andres Palop in the one-on-one situation.
Barga started the second half on the same tempo with which they finished the first. However this time around it was Sevilla who crated the better chance. Fabiano fed Navas the ball to the left of the box, the wingers shot managed to bounce off the side netting instead of hitting the back of the net. Ad the Spanish side started to get frustrated with their poor conversions, the home side started to build on confidence.
In the sixty second minute they stole a goal out of nowhere. Paulo Cesar headed the ball which was parried away by Palop, but it fell beautifully for Matheus who nodded the rebound into the back of the net to give the home team the advantage. After the goal Braga looked more than content to just hold the game. They started pulling all their men back and in the final ten minutes it appeared as though they had no attackers on the pitch. Sevilla continuted to press and were gifted with another opportunity in the ninety second minute. Fabiano made good contact off a Navas cross but his header fell right into the palms of Felipe. The Match ended with the Portugese side having a slender lead over the Spanish team. Both teams will have it all to play for in the second leg which will take place next tuesday.
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