Sevilla mount stunning comeback in draw with Liverpool

Sevilla came back from 0-3 down at half-time to claim a 3-3 draw with Liverpool in a thrilling game of football which leaves both sides with their options intact to reach the last 16 of the Champions League.

The 1-1 draw between Spartak Moscow and Maribor earlier on Tuesday means that if Liverpool avoid defeat to Moscow in the last group game and Sevilla take a point from their trip to play Maribor, both sides will qualify, reports Xinhua news agency.

But it had not looked as if that would be the case for much of the game.

There was barely a minute on the clock when Liverpool striker Roberto Firmino opened the scoring with a simple finish at the far post after a near post-corner had been flicked on. The Brazilian striker found plenty of space as Pablo Sarabia failed to mark him correctly at the back of the 6-yard box.

Sergio Escudero hit the side net for Sevilla in the 13th minute before Nolito forced a fine save from Loris Karius, who tipped the ball onto the post, and Sarabia fired wide with just Karius to beat.

These misses were expensive as Liverpool doubled their lead in the 22nd minute after Firmino flicked on another corner to allow Saido Mane to head home.

It was 3-0 before the half hour when Firmino finished a counter-attack after Sergio Rico had made a good save from Mane only for the ball to drop to the Brazilian.

Rico was inexplicably booed by a section of the home fans after the third goal, but saved well from Mane to stop it becoming 4-0 before the break.

Wissam Ben Yedder gave Sevilla a lifeline with a near post header from a free kick five minutes after the break.

It soon became 3-2 after former Sevilla defender Alberto Moreno committed a needless penalty and Ben Yedder sent Karius the wrong way.

Escudero then saw the Liverpool keeper tip his shot onto the bar as Sevilla threw everything forward in an act of faith, turning the game into a thrilling end.

Both sides had chances to add to their tally but failed setting the stage for a dramatic finale in which Guido Pizarro scored from close range after Liverpool failed to deal with a corner to send the home fans wild with delight.

--IANS

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