MADRID:
Second-half penalties from Mali forward Freddy Kanoute and Spain striker Alvaro Negredo helped Sevilla to a 3-1 home win over strugglers Real Zaragoza as they moved up to fifth in the Spanish first division. Argentine winger Diego Perotti had put Sevilla ahead on 43 minutes only for giant Czech Jiri Jarosik to equalise two minutes after the break. Hosts Sevilla were then awarded a fortunate penalty with Uruguayan defender Martin Caceres adjudged to have been fouled and Kanoute converted the 56th minute spot-kick for his ninth league goal of the season. Negredo won another penalty, which he converted himself, in the dying seconds of the match and the defeat leaves Zaragoza languishing one point ahead of the relegation zone.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 5th, 2011.