ZCZC
BSP-02
FBL-ESP-LIGA-SEVILLA
Sevilla goalkeeper Bono scores dramatic equaliser against Valladolid
MADRID, March 21, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – Sevilla’s goalkeeper Bono scored an
incredible 94th-minute equaliser to rescue a 1-1 draw against Real Valladolid
on Saturday.
Bono went up for a corner in injury-time and finished brilliantly with his
left foot at the end of a mad scramble in the area to earn Sevilla a point.
The result damages Sevilla’s hopes of rejoining La Liga’s title race, with
four points now separating them from third-placed Barcelona, who play a game
in hand against Real Sociedad on Sunday.
But the team and staff were celebrating at the end, ecstatic at avoiding
defeat in the most unlikely of fashions.
Bono is the first Sevilla goalkeeper to score a goal in La Liga but the
second goalkeeper to score in the Spanish top flight this season, after
Eibar’s Marko Dmitrovic successfully took a penalty against Atletico Madrid
in January.
“It was the last play of the game and it gives us a taste of happiness,”
Sevilla coach Julen Lopetegui said. “A goal from a goalkeeper is nothing
normal.”
Bono was in the right place at the right time after Luuk de Jong’s header
was kept alive by Oscar Rodriguez, only for his cross to hit the outside of
the post.
But the ball was cut back again by Youssef En-Nesyri and while Jules Kounde
was unable to shoot, he poked it into the path of Bono, who struck hard with
his left foot through the crowd of players and into the net.
The Moroccan swung his shirt around his head, for which he was shown a
yellow card, and ran towards the Sevilla bench, where he was mobbed by
teammates and staff.
Valladolid had earlier taken the lead just before half-time, Fabian
Orellana scoring a penalty for the hosts, who stay 16th in the table.
BSS/AFP/FI/0820 hrs