Sevilla have an outstanding record of not losing any domestic game at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan stadium this season
By Kehinde Okeowo
West Hams suffered a setback in their quest for a Europa League quarter-finals spot after they fell to a narrow defeat at Sevilla in the first leg of their last-16 tie.
Sevilla before the encounter had an outstanding record of not losing a domestic game at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan stadium this season.
The hosts scored the only goal of the encounter on the hour mark when Marcos Acuna’s superb free-kick was scored by Munir El Haddadi.
Until that point, West Ham had more than held their own in their first knockout tie in a major European competition since 1981.
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Nikola Vlasic and Tomas Soucek were denied goal scoring opportunities by Sevilla goalkeeper Yassine Bounou during the match.
Michail Antonio also missed a follow up from close range after Vlasic’s effort was initially saved by Bounou. Manuel Lanzini then saw his close-range effort blocked by the most stingy La Liga defence.
Though the Hammers lost narrowly and will be playing the return leg in front of a packed home crowd at the London Stadium on 17 March, Julen Lopetegui’s side is currently second in La Liga and will prove a tough nut to crack.
However, Moyes will be confident and hoping his lads can overturn the loss in the return leg, after the efficient manner in which his side went about their work in the first leg.
