Sevilla 3-0 Borussia Monchengladbach

Sevilla 3-0 Borussia Monchengladbach: Visitors routed in second-half show

  Sevilla stepped up to the Champions League stage with a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Borussia Monchengladbach on Tuesday evening.

There were questions lingering around the home side following a poor domestic start but penalties from Kevin Gameiro and Ever Banega and a first Sevilla goal from Yevhen Konoplyanka completed a 3-0 demolition job of their Group D opponents for Unai Emery's men.

Sevilla's successful defence of their Europa League crown last season booked their place in the Champions League and, while they were wasteful at times on Tuesday, Monchengladbach had no answer to the Liga side’s pace and movement in the final third.
Spurred on by their attacking full-backs, Sevilla rarely gave their visitors a moment’s rest and should have gone ahead early on when Jose Antonio Reyes blazed over from close range.
Although dominant, Sevilla's finishing was letting them down, with Gameiro – enjoying a more central role after Carlos Bacca's close-season departure – wasting three fine opportunities.
The breakthrough did eventually come via the France international, who converted a 47th-minute penalty, but he then hit a second onto the crossbar shortly after. Luck did not desert Sevilla 24 minutes from time, though, as Banega coolly swept home the game’s third spot-kick and Konoplyanka added a third late on to complete a convincing win.
Monchengladbach coach Lucien Favre spiced things up pre-match by blasting Sevilla's perceived play-acting when the two sides met in the Europa League last term and, perhaps as a result of those words, the Spaniards looked fired up right from the start and should have scored inside four minutes.
Vitolo struck the post from 18 yards and Reyes inexplicably sliced over the open goal from eight yards.