Gatti’s last-gasp header earns Juventus draw with Sevilla

TURIN (Reuters): Federico Gatti scored with a header seven minutes into added time to earn Juventus a 1-1 home draw against Sevilla in their Europa League semi-final first leg on Thursday.

Europa League kings Sevilla ignored the heavy rain and the pressure of the Italian crowd at a packed Allianz Stadium to dominate the game and looked well on course continue their bid for a record-extending seventh title before Gatti’s last-gasp effort left the tie evenly poised.

Sevilla started strongly and Juve goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny made a brilliant save to stop Youssef En-Nesyri’s close-range header.

Lucas Ocampos missed a sitter for the visitors but Morocco striker En-Nesyri scored with a tidy finish from close range in the 26th minute after a quick counter-attack led by Ocampos.

Sevilla could have extended their lead before the break but En-Nesyri and Ocampos wasted good chances and Szczesny denied a thunderous strike from distance by Ivan Rakitic with a superb diving save.

Toothless Juventus recorded their first shot on target in the 65th minute when substitute Samuel Iling Junior tried his luck from distance with a tame strike that Sevilla goalkeeper Yassine Bounou easily held.

Juventus were energised by substitute Federico Chiesa, who is still working his way back from a long injury layoff, and equalised with the last play of the game.

Chiesa won a corner, Paul Pogba headed the ball into a crowded six-yard box and Gatti jumped high to head home the equaliser.

“We made some wrong choices up front and Sevilla knew how to stand against us tonight with a good mentality,” Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri told Rai.

“It was good that we held-on for some time and didn’t end up 2-0 down. Now in Seville there is a chance to get a result.”

The teams meet again at Sanchez Pizjuan stadium next Thursday with the winners to meet AS Roma or Bayer Leverkusen in the final on May 31 in Budapest.