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GLASGOW - Goalkeeper Andres Palop emerged as Sevilla's hero by saving three penalties in the shootout to give his side victory over Espanyol in a thrilling all-Spanish UEFA Cup final at Hampden Park today.
The Andalucians became only the second side to retain the trophy after a pulsating
game, played in driving rain, ended 2-2 after 120 minutes, condemning Espanyol to more European final heartbreak - 19 years after they lost the 1988 final on penalties to Bayer Leverkusen.
Palop, whose headed goal against Shakhtar Donetsk in the last 16 had kept the holders in the competition, saved spot-kicks from Luis Garcia, Jonatas and Marc Torrejon to give Sevilla victory 3-1 on penalties.
Sevilla, emulating Real Madrid who achieved successive UEFA Cup triumphs in 1985 and 1986, remain on course for a treble. They play Getafe in the King's Cup final and are still in contention for the Primera Liga title.
Brazilian winger Adriano Correia had fired the holders ahead on 18 minutes but Espanyol were level 10 minutes later, Albert Riera's shot from just inside the box beating Palop after taking a deflection.
Mali striker Frederic Kanoute, who also scored 12 months ago in the 4-0 rout of Middlesbrough in a one-sided final in Eindhoven, pounced from close range to turn home a Jesus Navas cross at the end of the first extra period.
But after Sevilla had wasted a host of chances to seal the trophy, Brazilian substitute Jonatas let fly from 20 metres and scored with the help of a slight deflection five minutes from the end of extra time.
It was just reward for a battling Espanyol side, reduced to 10 men after 68 minutes when defender Moises Hurtado was sent off for a second yellow, who played their part in a high-octane match.
A lively start had set the tone with both sides committed to attack. There were half-chances to both sides inside the first four minutes, Espanyol Raul Tamudo blazing over, then Sevilla midfielder Enzo Marseca producing some trickery in the box before curling narrowly wide.
The Catalans worked the flanks well in the early exchanges, Albert Riera and David Garcia linking well to create space for strikers Luis Garcia, preferred up front to the competition's leading scorer Walter Pandiani, and Raul Tamudo.
From one such raid, David Garcia crossed low for Luis Garcia to toe-poke weakly at Palop. The Sevilla keeper then had to get smartly down to his right to smother a low fizzer from Hurtado.
It was that save that swiftly led to Sevilla's opener on 18 minutes. Palop threw a long pass out to the left flank where Adriano Correia gathered. His pace took him away from David Garcia's desperate lunge, and with Espanyol caught short at the back, Adriano advanced into the box before curling decisively around Gorka Iraizoz.
The goal stunned the Catalans but they were behind for only 10 minutes.
Riera, who had gained possession on halfway, cut in from the left flank running parallel across the edge of the box. Setting his sights on goal, his right-footed shot caught the outstretched foot of Daniel Alves and the deflection was enough to deceive Palop.
Ramos introduced the more attack-minded Jesus Navas for Maresca at the start of the second half and the change gave Sevilla greater balance.
Pandiani was also thrown into the fray after 55 minutes, seconds after Tamudo had forced Palop into tipping his rising shot over the bar.
Espanyol had their tails up and Palop came to his side's rescue again, producing a stunning one-handed save to palm Riera's left-footed half-volley, struck with real venom, on to the crossbar.
A goal at that stage would have been just reward but they were put on the backfoot after 68 minutes when Hurtado, booked in the first half, halted substitute Alexander Kerzhakov's run with a tackle from behind and was sent off.
Sevilla, with their man advantage, became the dominant side and looked to have settled the tie when Navas crossed low from the right and Kanoute, a peripheral figure for much of the game, got in front of his marker to turn in at the near post at the end of the first extra half.
Espanyol rode their luck after that but conjured an equaliser when Brazilian Jonatas curled in with a shot that deflected off Christian Poulsen and past a despairing Palop.
Kanoute struck first for Sevilla in the shootout before Ivica Dragutinovic and Antonio Puerta also scored for Sevilla, although Daniel Alves missed.
Pandiani was Espanyol's only scorer in the shootout, but it was not enough to prevent Sevilla retaining their trophy.
- REUTERS