UEFA Cup specialists too strong for Stuttgart

Two goals in as many minutes gave Sevilla FC victory against VfB Stuttgart in the first night of UEFA Cup Group C action.

On the attack
Ndri Romaric opened the scoring after 15 minutes in the Andalusian capital before Renato doubled the lead 60 seconds later for the 2006 and 2007 UEFA Cup winners. The Spanish Liga side made light of the absences of Luis Fabiano, Diego Capel, Ernesto Chevantón, Frédéric Kanouté and Ivica Dragutinović, brimming with attacking intent and immediately taking the game to their German visitors.

Double quick
Adriano's early cross caused panic in the Stuttgart area, before Lautaro Acosta teed up Romaric who fluffed his lines. Romaric, however, made no mistake on the quarter-hour mark. The Ivory Coast forward won a free-kick, from a foul by Matthieu Delpierre, which he fired into the top left-hand corner. Nor was there time for Armin Veh's men to regroup after the goal because, moments later, Renato struck the second. With Stuttgart keeper Jens Lehmann caught in two minds about coming out for Abdoulay Konko's cross, the Brazilian took advantage of his hesitancy to nip in and head home. The only negative was an injury to Acosta, who was replaced by Tom De Mul, suffered in the build-up.

Stuttgart denied
Manuel Jiménez's charges started the second half as they had the first, on the front foot. Adriano shot wide and De Mul blasted his attempt over Lehmann's crossbar, before the Bundesliga outfit reminded the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán crowd of their quality. Mario Gómez came within centimetres of reducing the deficit after 66 minutes when his strike from inside the box crashed against a post. Former Sevilla defender Khalid Boulahrouz also threatened with a header from a corner. However, the final word, and chance, went to Sevilla as De Mul forced a late save from Lehmann.