10-man Sevilla salvages 1-1 draw with Salzburg in CL opener

Salzburg was left to rue two missed spot kicks in its 1-1 draw at 10-man Sevilla in a messy Champions League opener that featured four first-half penalties.

Salzburg converted only one of its three penalties, all earned by inspired striker Karim Adeyemi before 40 minutes were up in Seville on Tuesday.

Luka Sucic’s spot kick gave the Austrian team the lead in the 21st minute. But Sucic and Adeyemi, both age 19, missed two others in the first half.

Ivan Rakitic equalized for Sevilla against the flow of play from a penalty in the 42nd.

Sevilla played a man down from the 50th after striker Youssef En-Nesryi got his second booking for simulating a foul in the area.

“It was a very strange game,” Rakitic said.

“It was like every time they reached our area it was a penalty. You can’t commit three penalties in the Champions League. We have to learn from this. When you have three penalties and play a man down for 40 minutes, you have to happy with a draw.”

Lille hosts Wolfsburg later also in Group G.

Salzburg caused Sevilla trouble from the start with aggressive pressure and Adeyemi finding behind the defensive line.

Adeyemi earned three fouls in the box thanks to his speed and dribbling — and some rash defending by Sevilla — before 37 minutes were up.

A video review sent Adeyemi to the spot in the 13th after Diego Carlos pushed him down when the striker received the ball from a poorly defended throw-in.

Adeyemi sent his kick wide, but he was right back in the action when 35-year-old Jesús Navas shoved him down from behind.

This time, another teenager took it on himself to take the kick. Sucic fired into the left side of the net while goalkeeper Yassine Bounou fell the other way.

Bounou added to coach Julen Lopetegui’s distress when he too charged into Adeyemi after another pass found him alone in the box.

Once again, Sevilla got a break when Sucic hit the post.

Heavy rain started to fall on the Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium when the hosts received some help from Salzburg’s Maximilian Wober and a video review. Wober’s low tackle that clipped the ankle of En-Nesryi gave Rakitic the opportunity to level before halftime.

Lopetegui sent on Lucas Ocampos and gave a debut to Danish midfielder Thomas Delaney at the start of the second half to try to gain control of the match.

But Adeyemi almost set up a second goal for the visitors when he broke free to the end-line and crossed for Benjamin Sesko to force Bounou into making a superb one-handed save.

En-Nesryi was soon sent off when he received a second booking for diving when there was no contact with a defender.

Sevilla improved after Rafa Mir and Érik Lamela went on for its attack. But American midfielder Brenden Aaronson went closest to a winner for Salzburg when he drew another good save from Bounou in stoppage time.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.