Sevilla beat Independiente del Valle on penalties to win UEFA CONMEBOL Club Challenge

Sevilla beat Independiente del Valle 4-1 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in normal time – thanks to Pedro Ortiz's added-time equaliser – to win the UEFA CONMEBOL Club Challenge.

Match in brief: Sevilla strike late

Sevilla are still quite early on in their pre-season preparations and Independiente del Valle, in the midway break of their own campaign, capitalised early on. The game was just ten minutes old when Lautaro Díaz pounced on a moment's hesitation from Kike Salas, surging into the box and clipping clinically past Marko Dmitrović.

Lautaro Díaz celebrates his early goal for the visitorsUEFA via Getty Images

Slowly but surely, the UEFA Europa League holders found their rhythm, especially after the break. At times in the first half visiting goalkeeper Moisés Ramírez was spraying passes from the centre circle, but as the second period wore on he was increasingly called upon to perform his primary function as Sevilla finished strongly.

The Ecuadorian side looked to have held out until Pedro Ortiz swept in a 91st-minute equaliser – the 22-year-old's first senior goal. There was no extra time so that meant penalties, where Dmitrović proved Sevilla's hero with two saves that allowed Papu Gómez to seal a 4-1 triumph.

Pedro Ortiz equalises for Sevilla in added timeUEFA via Getty Images

Simon Hart, Estadio Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán

On a hot night Sevilla showed their customary indefatigability under the lights to take this game to a shoot-out. And, as in Budapest 49 days earlier, to win it.

Independiente del Valle's players started the night capturing images of the Sánchez-Pizjuán on their phones, but in the first half the Ecuadorian side caught the eye themselves with their speed on transitions and the ball-playing abilities of goalkeeper Ramírez.

Yet though this was only their third game of pre-season, Sevilla responded, pushing hard for an equaliser against tiring opponents and grabbing it. “Sí se puede” – yes we can – was the chant during the shoot-out and, once again, they could.

Reaction

José Mendilibar, Sevilla coach: "We picked up and improved our pressure towards the end of the first half. The second half was a lot better for us. They didn't get forward from the midfield as much and we created a lot more danger. In the first half when we got forward, we didn't get in crosses or shots. We played short. But that's not our game. In the second half, when we won the ball, we finished off the moves."

Martín Anselmi, Independiente del Valle coach: "In the first half everything we'd worked on was transferred to the pitch. We scored a goal and could have had another. I think we represented Ecuador well. We competed for 96 minutes and got a draw as the visiting team against Sevilla."

Marko Dmitrović, Sevilla goalkeeper: "We've won a trophy that's very special for ourselves, for the fans, for all Sevillistas. Hats off to my team-mates – after a week [back in training] that was very hard on their legs. We've now had the first phase [of pre-season] but have got a lot of work to do so that we’re 100% when the season begins."

Sevilla line up prior to kick-offUEFA via Getty Images

Starting line-ups

Sevilla: Dmitrović; Juanlu, Nianzou, Kike Salas, Pedrosa (Gattoni 65); Jordán, Bueno (Ortiz 77); Suso (Idrissi 60), Óliver Torres, Gómez; Romero (Iván Romero 77)

Independiente del Valle: Ramirez; Carabajal, Ortiz, García Basso; Fernández, Pellerano (Caicedo 83), Faravelli, Rodriguez (Marcelo Moreno 72); Alcívar (Landázuri 72), Sornoza (Hoyos 60); Díaz (Cortez 46)