Friday, May 18th, 2012
Copa del Rey holders started the defense of their crown with a convincing 0-4 win away to Segunda B side Real Unión. Sevilla rested many of their first team players but still included top players such as Negredo and Zakora.
The game started with a real cup tie atmosphere to it. The home side were keen to try to exploit their height advantage and looked dangerous from crosses and set pieces. Sevilla, on the other hand, were playing more cultured football with Negredo the target of all their attacks. Indeed it was the ex Real Madrid and Almeria player who opened the scoring on the stroke of half time. With his back to goal the striker controlled a cross into the box before turning, rounding the keeper and firing home. It was one of those moments Negredo is capable of but doesn’t do often enough to hold down a first team place.
The second half started with Real Unión pushing for an equalizer but on of their early ventures forward they were caught on the break as Cigarini realised Negredo. The Sevilla striker lifted the ball over the keeper and just was it was dropping into the goal Real Unión defender Yuri caught the ball and threw it over the bar to earn himself a straight red card and Sevilla a penalty. Negredo stepped up but pulled his kick horribly wide.
The penalty miss gave the home side some hope of getting back into the game but the La Liga side slowly made their one advantage count and 23 minutes into the second half Negredo found space in the box to volley home his second and effectively kill the tie. With the Basque side now facing a mountain to the climb, the heads went down and the remainder of the second half was a rather dull affair. With a minute to go the game looked like finishing 0-2 until Sevilla youngsters Alfaro and Jose Carlos grabbed a goal each to make the final result a lot more emphatic.
