Whoever forgives sleeps better, less in football.
A ruthless gymnastics.
A sport that demands the cruelty of the goal.
The first half of Sevilla was monotonous, pounding, focused on the Stade Rennais goal.
But happiness lingered in the small area.
There was formal superiority, but not material.
A transparent punishment.
[Narration and statistics (1-0)]
Thirteen shots as thirteen toasts to the sun, only in the first half.
Ocampos threatened after three minutes with a right hand that narrowly missed.
On the next play, it was Jesús Navas who demanded Gomis with another long shot.
An instant later, Munir's volley hit the crossbar.
Rugani, the central starting center for the visitors, was injured in the 15th minute. The red-black team defended itself as best it could.
Everything was regret.
A header from Diego Carlos, well repelled by his Senegalese goalkeeper, confirmed the superiority of Sevilla.
Another from Ocampos, well reduced by the African goal, a distant shot from Kounde, fiercely cleared with the right, a shot in the small area, taken under sticks by Bourigeaud ... the monologue had plenty of verb and it lacked adjectives.
Koundé's firmness
Sevilla played nervously.
Rakitic watched the game from the bench.
The presence of Óliver Torres in the core accelerated creation.
Julian Stéphane's were abandoned at the speed of Doku.
They timidly brandished that single weapon while Lopetegui's men gasped with insistence and danger.
Waiting for a lazy goal came the break.
Taste of lost opportunity.
Oxidized silver.
After the resumption, bad news for Rennes followed.
Bourigeaud, differential to set pieces, also left injured.
Without N'Zonzi and Camavinga, his midfield had little packaging.
Koundé, back after his positive in Covid-19, kept firm the rear in the subtle attacks of the French.
The Nervionense team persevered, did not lose sight of the rival goal, worked with conviction.
And, finally, without haste, the fruit of his effort arrived.
In 56, Acuña focused on the heart of the area, flat and powerful, from his left-handed side.
De Jong, martial, severe, convinced, finished first, strong and focused.
Gomis launched himself, but could not even touch the ball, which passed under him.
The goal shook the doubts of Sevilla, who enthusiastically launched for the second.
Predictable final rage
It was close, again, De Jong.
An accurate and distant header called for the magical stretch of the Rennes goalkeeper.
His gloves were the only argument of the French team against the implacable football of the Andalusians.
A Grenier free kick, which Bono safely cleared, was the unremarkable of Stéphane's men.
Rakitic entered in the 75 to retain the ball, to appease the predictable final rage of the Bretons.
Castillo and Dalbert were the hope of the French for these last minutes.
Jordán, with a very hard shot to the crossbar in 78, recalled who was in charge of the game.
With a skeletal scoreboard, despite the bathroom, Sevilla added their first three points in this Champions League.
More football than goals.
More slit than sequins.
Arguments, in any case, for hope.
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
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Sevilla FC
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