Super Eagles striker Akor Adams supplied the decisive assist as Sevilla FC claimed a vital 1-0 away victory over Getafe CF to climb up the La Liga table.
Separated by just three points before kick off, both sides approached the contest cautiously. Sevilla had won only once in their previous nine matches and were dealing with the blow of manager Matias Almeyda’s suspension for half of their remaining fixtures. Getafe, meanwhile, had regained some confidence after ending a nine game winless run and arrived buoyed by a convincing win over Villarreal.
The opening stages were tense and lacking fluency, with both teams prioritising defensive organisation. The first real effort on goal came in the 20th minute through Luis Vazquez, while Sevilla failed to register a shot until first half stoppage time when a tame header drifted wide. The turning point arrived in the 26th minute when Getafe captain Dakonam Djene was shown a straight red card for a studs up challenge on Gabriel Suazo, leaving the hosts to play the remainder of the match with ten men.
Despite their numerical advantage, Sevilla struggled to break down a resilient Getafe defence before the interval. Akor Adams led the line, with Isaac Romero operating close to him, but clear chances were limited as the home side defended deep and compact.
Sevilla increased the tempo after the restart, introducing Chidera Ejuke and Adnan Januzaj in search of greater attacking thrust. The breakthrough finally came in the 65th minute. A move down the right ended with the ball played into Adams inside the box. The Nigerian forward held off Abdel Abqar and intelligently laid the ball into the path of Djibril Sow, who calmly slotted a low finish into the bottom right corner to give Sevilla the lead.
Sevilla had opportunities to extend their advantage, with Ejuke unable to release Adams quickly during a promising counterattack, while other chances went begging. Getafe responded late on despite being a man down. Nemanja Gudelj was forced into crucial defensive headers from Luis Milla’s deliveries, and Martin Satriano tested Odysseas Vlachodimos, who produced a sharp save to preserve the lead.
That late pressure proved insufficient as Sevilla held on for a hard earned victory. The result lifts Los Nervionenses above Getafe into 11th place and opens up a five point cushion above the relegation zone ahead of the Seville derby.
Akor Adams featured for 89 minutes before being replaced by Peque Fernandez. He completed 11 of his 14 passes, recorded 26 touches and provided the assist that decided the match. Fellow Nigerian Ejuke impressed off the bench in the second half, registering one shot, completing 18 of 21 passes and making 28 touches in a lively cameo.
