Semi-final: Sevilla - Schalke Report
Schalke out of UEFA Cup after 1-0 defeat in Sevilla
Sevilla: Palop, Daniel, Aitor Ocio, Escude, David, Navas, Marti, Maresca, Adriano Correia (Puerta 77'), Luis Fabiano (Renato 99'), Saviola (Makukula 107')
Schalke 04: Rost, Rafinha, Bordon, Rodriguez (Larsen 82), Kobiashvili, Poulsen, Ernst, Asamoah (Sand 90), Lincoln, Bajramovic (Varela 62), Kuranyi
Goals: Puerta (101')
Attendance: 45,000
Referee: Massimo De Santis (Italy)
Yellow cards: Puerta, Daniel, Makukula - Kuranyi, Rodriguez, Varela, Ernst
FC Sevilla (0) 1 - 0 (0) FC Schalke 04
It wasn't to be. Schalke 04 failed in their bid to reach the UEFA Cup final after a 1-0 extra-time defeat at FC Sevilla in the second leg of the semi-final.
Head coach Mirko Slomka made one change to the team that drew in Bremen, Gerald Asamoah returning from suspension for Hamit Altintop as Schalke reverted to a two-man attack.
Sevilla started with a bang and recorded two early chances through Luis Fabiano and Saviola. With quick passes to the strikers they put the Schalke defence under pressure, but were unable to find a way past Frank Rost.
The Royal Blues needed 15 minutes to get going and Lincoln began to make his presence felt in midfield. But Schalke's efforts did not bring the desired result, and against a well-organised home defence they were unable to mount a serious threat.
Sevilla's midfield combined well to create good openings for front men Saviola, Luis Fabiano and Adriano. Their next chance came on 24, Adriano shooting just wide from a narrow angle. Three minutes later the Royal Blues breathed another sigh of relief when Luis Fabiano failed to get a touch on David's cross from five metres out.
And although Schalke worked their way back into the game, they remained harmless in front of goal, with most of their attacking moves breaking down on the edge of the area.
In the second half the Andalusians again made the better start and created two good chances within 60 seconds. First Dario Rodriguez stepped in to clear as Saviola was about to strike. And from the resulting corner two Sevilla strikers were unable to make contact with a ball in from Saviola.
Schalke's build-up play was laboured and in losing the ball too easily in midfield they allowed Sevilla to step up the pressure. As in the first half, it took the Royal Blues a good quarter of an hour to make a game of it. Their first opening came on 67 minutes when Gerald Asamoah received possession after a quick break involving Lincoln, but the Germany international's shot was saved by Palop. Lincoln was also the initiator of the next promising move. The Brazilian dribbled his way into the penalty area and slipped the ball to Kevin Kuranyi, and though the Germany striker was able to knock the ball from the hands of the advancing Palop, no one was on hand to pick up the loose ball.
In the closing stages Slomka increased the pressure with the introduction of Sören Larsen for Dario Rodriguez. The Royal Blues began to enjoy more possession and were able to stifle Sevilla's attacking threat. Three minutes' from the end of normal time they carved out another opportunity when Lincoln slipped the ball to Fabian Ernst just outside the area. But his shot flew narrowly over the bar and the game went into extra-time.
Schalke initially had the upper hand in the first half of extra-time. Ebbe Sand, who had come in for Asamoah, was a lively figure on the right and in midfield Ernst and Gustavo Varela began to get a grip. But just in this phase the Royal Blues were caught cold as Sevilla took the lead with their first attack since the restart. The ball was played into the penalty area from the right to Puerta, who struck a first-time shot into the far corner.
The Royal Blues threw everyone forward in search of an equaliser and went close on 112 with a Gustavo Varela header from a cross by Lincoln, only for Palop to make the save. And three minutes later the Spanish keeper was in action again, this time defusing Marcelo Bordon's header from a Lincoln free-kick to end Schalke's dreams of reaching their second UEFA Cup final.
Substitute Antonio Puerta got the all-important goal in the 101st minute to give his side a narrow, but not undeserved victory and end Schalke's dreams of reaching the UEFA Cup for the second time in their history after a gap of nine years.
