Ocampos heads Sevilla past Wolves into Europa League semis

One missed alternative was all it took to finish Wolverhampton’s European desires.

Raul Jimenez stepped as much as take an early penalty in opposition to Sevilla in Tuesday’s quarterfinal, simply as he’d accomplished to beat Olympiakos within the final spherical. This time, although, his shot was too central and saved by Yassine Bounou.

Sevilla dominated the remainder of the sport after that as Wolves more and more drained in its 59th recreation of a protracted season. A aim seemed inevitable and Lucas Ocampos delivered with a header to win the sport within the 88th minute.

The loss ended Wolves’ finest European run since reaching the UEFA Cup remaining in 1972 — and its probabilities of qualifying for the Champions League. Sevilla, in the meantime, stayed on target for a record-extending sixth title within the competitors. Manchester United is subsequent up within the semifinal Sunday.

Sevilla had 73 p.c possession and seemingly countless second-half set items across the Wolves penalty space — so many who the grass across the six-yard field was totally churned up as gamers jostled for place — and eventually broke by means of when Ocampos met Eder Banega’s cross with a glancing header within the 88th minute.

Wolves ahead Adama Traore earlier confirmed extraordinary tempo in his 54th membership recreation of the season to dash in behind the Sevilla protection, just for Diego Carlos to chop him down with a deal with from behind for the penalty. Jimenez had scored an early spot-kick in opposition to Olympiakos final week however his shot this time was inside simple attain for Bounou.

Traore’s velocity has been deadly in lots of Wolves’ video games this season however it was a non-factor after the opening half-hour and the more and more weary right-sided ahead was later substituted.

Wolves had the longest Europa League marketing campaign of any staff left within the competitors, having began greater than a 12 months in the past within the first qualifying spherical with a win over Northern Irish membership Crusaders on July 25, 2019.

Sevilla’s semifinal opponent Manchester United beat Copenhagen 1-Zero on Monday after additional time. The second semifinal subsequent Monday pits Inter Milan in opposition to Shakhtar Donetsk, which beat Basel 4-1 in Tuesday’s different quarterfinal.

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