Monday 16 April 2012

Getafe 5-1 Sevilla: Blues come back to stroll to victory

0-1 Negredo 19'
1-1 Miguel Torres 35'
2-1 Mehdi Lacen 49'
3-1 Miku 63'
4-1 Pedro Ríos 69'
5-1 Miku 71'

The best second half showing in years sees the home crowd delighted...
... Stunning performance from Pedro Ríos sees Getafe remain in the Primera in style...

Getafe's Liga survival is now mathematically secure after a Pedro Ríos masterclass helped the Madrid side to their 43rd, 44th, and 45th points of the season at home to hapless Sevilla.

The hosts went behind early on but quickly equalised and from there it was a clear path to a victory that sees the Azulones, far from worrying about relegation, in fact dreaming about European football with four league games left to go.

Both sides opted for their usual 4-2-3-1, with Getafe giving reserve stopper Álvaro Arroyo his first Liga start at right-back, Miguel Torres moving to the centre in the absence of ineligible loanee Alexis. Meanwhile the midfield was identical to that which overran Sporting 2-0 at home a fortnight prior.

The Andalusian outfit were virtually unchanged from their 3-0 win over Zaragoza at the weekend, meaning that ex-Coliseum captain Manu del Moral lined up behind lone forward Álvaro Negredo. The only alteration was the rotation of goalkeeper Andrés Palop, who was replaced by Javi Varas.

Getafe should have taken the lead in the ninth minute when lone forward Miku got on the end of Pedro Ríos' low cross from the right, but from three yards out the Venezuelan put the ball over when it was easier to hit the target.

The hosts were made to pay ten minutes later as Álvaro Negredo sprung the offside trap to score a beautiful overhead kick from an unmarked position, Piotr Trochowski providing that killer cross from the inside-right channel.

Miguel Torres of all people was able to level the scores 10 minutes from the interval: both Julien Escudé and Coke made a hash of dealing with Pedro Ríos' corner and it was all the ex-Real Madrid man could do to bundle home from close range.

Sevilla's defence was again left wanting as that man Pedro Ríos played another killer cross, this time from the left flank, only for the unmarked Gavilán to head straight into Varas' arms just before the break.



Just after the break, Manu del Moral - although offside - was able to get on the end of a deep cross and chest the ball down for Antonio Luna, but the winger inexplicably fire wide.

He was punished mere seconds later when Mehdi Lacen drove home a twenty-yarder - his first Liga goal for the club - into the bottom right corner to give Getafe the lead. Instrumental in the buildup once more was the indomitable Pedro Ríos, who had one of his best games in the blue shirt.

The best was yet to come. Just past the hour mark, Ríos capped an incredible performance with a mazy run into the right-hand side of the box, where he pulled the ball back for the unmarked Miku to fire home first time.

Indeed, Pedro Ríos had the sort of showing that called on a goal to cap it off, and the 31-year-old didn't disappoint when he headed in at the far post from a Mané cross in the 69th minute.

He wasn't finished yet: just two minutes later, the Jérez-born winger went on a mazy run from the right wing to the middle, where he slotted a through ball to Miku to score Geta's fifth of the evening.

That was the end of his contribution as he was subbed off - to predictably and justifiably wild acclaim - for Abdel Barrada in the 76th minute.

With four games left survival is now guaranteed, meaning that the dream of European football is on. Incredibly Geta are one of five sides sitting just one point off the second Europa League slot. Getafe have the chance to stay with that pack as they travel to Granada next weekend.

Getafe: Moyà; Arroyo, Cata Díaz, Miguel Torres, Mané; Míchel, Mehdi Lacen; Pedro Ríos (Abdel Barrada 76), Diego Castro, Gavilán (Casquero 82); Miku (Güiza 78).

Sevilla: Javi Varas; Coke, Fazio, Escudé, Fernando Navarro (Babá 56); Medel (Campaña 79), Trochowski; Jesus Navas, Manu del Moral (Rakitic 72), Luna; Negredo.