Sevilla’s Narrow 2-1 Victory Against Getafe Boosts Survival Hopes
Sevilla claimed a 2-1 win over Getafe, with goals from Marcos Acuña and Rafa Mir just as the first and second halves were closing, delivering their first league victory against a direct relegation rival in a tense encounter. Borja Mayoral briefly pulled Getafe within one, three minutes from the end, but Sevilla held on to seal the result that keeps them in the fight at the bottom end of the table.
Last season, Sevilla had gone six home league matches without a win and ended that drought with a 1-0 triumph over Athletic Bilbao on May 22. Acuña opened the scoring in the 36th minute, heading home from a Rakitic free kick. Getafe would level twice after the break through Mayoral and then Juan Iglesias, with Mir nearly giving Sevilla a late cushion before Mayoral again closed the gap in the 87th minute, leaving the final score at 2-1.
In a high-stakes clash designed to pull Sevilla away from relegation danger and push Getafe back into the danger zone, the home side lined up with a lean squad due to injuries and suspensions. Coach Jorge Sampaoli trusted 16 players, six of whom were sidelined and two punished: Montiel and Carmona. The lineup included goalkeeper Bono, wingbacks Navas and Acuña, and attacking midfielder Erik Lamela, while Youssef En-Nesyri led the line with support from the Moroccan forward Youssef En-Nesyri and the rest of a compact defense.
Getafe, anchored by Enes Ünal and Mayoral in attack, began the game with a plan to disrupt Sevilla’s rhythm. Quique Sánchez Flores made four cup-competition changes from the previous league lineup, bringing in David Soria in goal, Damián Suárez on the wing, Omar Alderete at the back, and Mayoral returning alongside Casilla, Portu, and Munir to reinforce the attack. Sevilla’s central defense, marshaled by Tanguy Nianzou and Iván Rakitic, gradually built a solid shield behind a forward line looking to exploit the wings.
The match opened with Sevilla pressing high and controlling much of the play in the opening minutes. Jesús Navas and Acuña helped to pin back Getafe while the creativity of Lamela fed En-Nesyri, who looked keen to make a difference. Getafe stayed dangerous on the break, but Sevilla’s defense, particularly the trio of Nianzou, Fernando, and Gudelj, proved stubborn—clearing balls and stifling many of Getafe’s forays from wide areas.
Sevilla’s advantage arrived from a well-worked set piece. A left-footed free kick from Rakitic found Acuña at the far post, and his precise finish gave Sevilla the lead in the early stages of the game. Getafe responded with urgency, testing Bono on several occasions as Ünal and Mayoral sought to unlock the Sevilla defensive wall. A critical moment came when Ünal nearly found an equalizer after a positive move from the right, but a deferred offside decision and a VAR check kept the score at 1-0 for a time.
After the break, Getafe pushed for parity, but Sevilla’s rearguard remained compact. En-Nesyri remained a constant threat, with En-Nesyri providing a sharp presence up front as the visitors sought to exploit any space behind the defense. The second half saw a more balanced game, with Getafe pressing higher and Sevilla striking on the counter through quick transitions from the wings.
Midway through the second period, Sevilla extended their lead. A superb cross from Óliver Torres found Rafa Mir unmarked, and the forward’s header beat the goalkeeper to make it 2-0. Getafe continued to fight, and Mayoral nudged the visitors closer in a late surge that culminated in a goal in the 87th minute. The late strike added drama, but Sevilla managed to close out the game with discipline and resolve to secure the crucial three points.
The match underscored the importance of balance in Sevilla’s approach: intensity and rhythm at the start, resilience at the back, and clinical finishing when chances appeared. Sampaoli’s team demonstrated determination, keeping pressure on Getafe and leveraging set pieces to their advantage, while Getafe remained dangerous on the break and in dead-ball situations. The result provided a lift for Sevilla as they fight to climb away from the relegation zone, while Getafe left the field knowing they had created moments but lacked the final touch to alter the outcome. The performance reflected a tense, determined effort from both sides in a game that carried real weight in the standings. (Source: Match observations from Movistar Plus and post-match briefings.)