Sevilla and Alavés draw as Vargas misses a penalty

Sevilla and Alavés played out a goalless draw in the 12th round of LaLiga EA Sports. The match took place at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán stadium in front of 38,803 spectators. Sevilla had a chance to take the lead around the half-hour mark, but Vargas missed a penalty.

Alavés therefore extended its winless run at the Sánchez-Pizjuán to eight matches, while taking a point from the game. Sevilla, described in the match report as lacking inspiration in attack, failed to make the most of its major opportunity.

After 12 La Liga matches, Sevilla are 6th with 18 points and Alavés are 9th with 13 points, a five-point gap.

Sevilla pressed higher at the start of the second half and pushed its opponents back. Suazo won the ball before crossing for Iglesias, whose dipping header forced Sivera to turn it behind for a corner. Alavés responded in the 73rd minute: after the home defence failed to clear a corner cleanly, Benavídez shot from a promising position but sent his effort wide.

The closing stages were more cautious. Sevilla, affected by fatigue, and Alavés, whose coach Quique Sánchez Flores had adopted a conservative approach, appeared more concerned with avoiding a goal than claiming a win. Neither goalkeeper faced another serious threat.

The first-division match also came in the wake of the death of Jesús de Miguel, a Tenerife player who died the previous Tuesday. Before kick-off, both teams wore shirts bearing the number 9 in tribute to “Demi”. Play was then stopped in the ninth minute: a video was shown as the crowd gave him a lengthy ovation. Referee Luis Bestard also placed a bouquet at the spot on the pitch corresponding to where Jesús had been struck at the Heliodoro. After the minute’s silence, the Sánchez-Pizjuán again paid tribute to him with sustained applause.