Baptista spot on for Sevilla

By Andy Hall

Two Julio Bapista penalties helped Sevilla FC to a 2-0 win at RC Recreativo de Huelva which left the Spanish UEFA Cup contenders on the verge of a place in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey.

Double dismissal
The game was goalless at half-time but there was no shortage of incident in the first 45 minutes as both sides were reduced to ten men. Recreativo midfield player Emilio Viqueira was ordered off on 21 minutes just moments after hitting the Sevilla crossbar with a free-kick. Sevilla's Javi Navarro followed him to the dressing room just before half-time. Both players therefore miss next week's return leg at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán stadium.

Baptista penalties
Sevilla pushed forward after the interval and were awarded a penalty on 70 minutes when Pedro Baquero handled in the area. Julio Baptista duly fired in from the spot to give the Primera División side the lead, and made no mistake with a second penalty seven minutes later after he had been fouled.

Second-half strikes
In tonight's other third round first-leg tie, UDA Gramenet recorded a 2-0 victory against Catalan rivals UD Lleida.