Rolando's Porto purr after Sevilla success

After helping his side to earn a valuable 2-1 triumph away to Sevilla FC, FC Porto defender Rolando stressed his team were "eager to finish off the job" in Wednesday's return leg.

The 25-year-old Portuguese international stole in to give André Villas-Boas's team a 1-0 lead after 58 minutes at the Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuan and although Frédéric Kanouté's fifth UEFA Europa League goal of the season brought the hosts level, a Fredy Guarín strike four minutes from time maintained Porto's 100% record away from home in Europe this season.

Rolando told UEFA.com: "We tried to defend well and attack with quality. Knowing the problems they were capable of causing us with their excellent forwards, we knew we had to work hard not to give away any easy chances."

Buoyed by a vociferous travelling support, Os Dragões produced their fifth away success of this UEFA Europa League campaign. They are unbeaten in this competition and the Portuguese Liga and Rolando, seeking to explain that stunning form, said: "The players here have a lot of quality – if that weren't the case the results wouldn't be going our way. We are also well aware of what our strengths and weaknesses are, while confidence among the group is sky high. We're very good technically but perhaps the most important thing is that we're united."

Although his sights are now firmly set on a place in the round of 16, where Porto would meet PAOK FC or PFC CSKA Moskva, the former CF Os Belenenses player stressed the need for focus ahead of Wednesday's return encounter. "We'll be looking to score at home as that's the all-important factor in a knockout tie like this one," said Rolando. "Sevilla are used to playing Champions League football, so in no way do we feel we are clear favourites. We can't afford to get sidetracked at this stage; we've done half the work but must now look to finish the job and go through."

Sevilla winger Diego Perotti, meanwhile, lamented his team's luck after a fourth defeat in a six-game winless streak. "We're desperately disappointed; nothing went our way," the 22-year-old said. "When we were on top in the game they managed to score. The truth is that you reach a stage where you are resigned to bad luck – we just can't get a break lately. We dominated from the first minute against a team who came here in unbelievable form. The most important thing now is to try to get through, but them scoring twice makes things quite difficult."