Spanish outfit Sevilla FC booked their place in the last four of the Europa League as they stylishly swept aside a Porto side who just couldn't get going, despite a late Quaresma screamer. Goals from Rakitic, Vitolo, Carlos Bacca and Kevin Gemeiro were enough as Sevilla went through 4-2 on aggregate.
The hosts were awarded a penalty only three and a half minutes into the encounter when the referee judged that Danilo brought Bacca down illegally. The referee himself seemed reluctant to award the spot kick and only awarded it after consulting with his assistants. Up stepped captain Ivan Rakitic who sent Porto keeper Fabiano the wrong way to level the tie at one goal a piece.
In the initial stages, the wind was undoubtedly in the sails of Unai Emery's Sevilla, who currently sit fifth in Spain's La Liga. Inevitably so, the Andalusians edged ahead in the tie on the twenty fifth minute through Vitolo who managed to slide the ball across Fabiano's goal into the bottom corner.
Sevilla remarkably found themselves three up minutes later as Bacca took advantage of a sleeping Porto defence, who struggled to clear their lines of a cross, by directing a half volley into Fabiano's left hand corner on the turn. Sevilla now looked firmly in the driving seat; Porto's only answer was to chop down anything in white.
Porto, two times winners of the Europa League, were now left with a mountain to climb. Their only chances in the opening half fell to Ricardo Quaresma; neither were anywhere near the target. It was plain to see that the loss of Jackson Martinez to suspension was a blow to the Portuguese side.
However, ten minutes into the second half, Porto were offered a lifeline when Sevilla full back Coke was dismissed for a second bookable offence. There was now light at the end of the tunnel for a side who looked down and out barely even half an hour into the match.
Indeed, Porto began to control more and more of the possession, particularly in the final third of the park. They found it difficult to create chances however, as Sevilla were forced to take their foot of the pedal and sit further back. In turn, this led to a series of long shots from the away side, none of which even remotely challenged Beto in the Sevilla net.
Any of these Porto hopes were put to bed twelve minutes from the end as Sevilla made the nut bulge for the fourth time. Stephane Mbia played Vitolo in behind the defence and could only square the ball when he found himself in an acute angle, Fabiano intervened but the ball only fell to substitute Gameiro who couldn't miss.
Ricardo Quaresma scored a consolation into injury time with a Ronaldo-esque strike. The striker picked the ball up 20 yards or so from goal, side stepped his man before unleashing a blistering effort past a hapless Beto into the top right corner.
Croatian captain Rakitic was instrumental in his teams victory. So often the former FC Schalke man took it upon himself to control the tempo of play and created a host of chances for Sevilla.
That crippling defeat has ultimately put an end to Porto's season as they now sit 15 points behind Benfica whereas Sevilla go into Friday's semi-final draw. There, they will be joined by Juventus, Benfica and Valencia. The latter of whom impressively defeated Swiss side FC Basel 5-3 on aggregate, despite going into the second leg 3-0 down.
