TURIN, ITALY (AFP) – Federico Gatti headed home in the 97th minute to earn Juventus a 1-1 draw against Sevilla in their Europa League semi-final first leg early yesterday.
Youssef En-Nesyri gave the record six-time champions the lead in the first half and they seemed set to take that advantage back to Seville before Gatti’s late intervention.
Moroccan international En-Nesyri finished a sharp counter-attack in the 26th minute to break the deadlock in Turin.
Jose Luis Mendilibar’s side deserved their lead at the break and although Juventus improved, the Andalucians shut them out well in their bid to take their advantage back to the rowdy Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan next week.
However Gatti nodded home from point blank range after substitute Paul Pogba headed the ball back into his path from a corner.
Sevilla, who dumped Manchester United out in the quarter-finals, have never been knocked out of the tournament in the semi-final stage.The Spaniards, who won the Europa League at the Juventus Stadium in 2014, made themselves at home in the first half.
The hosts should have taken the lead when Dusan Vlahovic fired over, perhaps put off by Sevilla goalkeeper Yassine Bounou’s dive at his feet.
After that Mendilibar’s side started to impose themselves, with Lucas Ocampos playing a key role.
The Argentine winger, recalled from his loan at Ajax in January, sent a shot inches wide from close range, before making amends by setting up the opening goal.
Massimiliano Allegri took action, sending on Federico Chiesa and young English winger Samuel Iling-Junior at half-time in search of the equaliser.
Eventually their second-half pressure paid off when Gatti scored with virtually the last touch of the game, leaving honours even ahead of the return in Seville next Thursday.
