10-man Sevilla gets late goal to draw 1-1 at Leganes
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Wissam Ben Yedder kept 10-man Sevilla unbeaten in eight Spanish league games when the forward scored in stoppage time to snatch a 1-1 draw at Leganes on Sunday.
With dense fog at Butarque Stadium in Madrid, Ben Yedder slipped behind his marker and met Roque Mesa's short cross to the far post where the forward nodded the ball off the turf and into the corner of the net.
The draw left Pablo Machin's Sevilla in third place and five points behind leader Barcelona as the league starts its two-week winter break.
"It was tough for us after they scored first, but we leave with a draw," Ben Yedder said. "It is an important point."
Leganes had gone ahead when Mikel Vesga headed in a cross by Allan Nyom in the fifth minute.
Sevilla was playing without top scorer Pablo Sarabia and midfielder Ever Banega, both serving one-game suspensions for accumulating five yellow cards.
It then lost Franco Vazquez when he was given a direct red card at halftime for arguing with the referee. Jesus Navas also had to be substituted during the break because of a muscle injury in his right leg.
"This team showed it has spirit and courage," Machin said.
"We knew how to overcome the sending off and the problem with Jesus. . I am sure (Vazquez) thought that he was right . but it doesn't justify losing your temper and getting sent off."
Shortly before Ben Yedder netted his eighth goal in the league this season, both Sevilla's Ibrahim Amadou and Leganes striker Youssef En-Nesyri sent shots off the woodwork.
Leganes, despite being near the bottom of the table in 16th place, hasn't lost at home to the top three teams in the standings. It upset Barcelona 2-1 in September and drew 1-1 with second-placed Atletico Madrid last month.
OTHER RESULTS
Cristiano Piccini also scored in stoppage time to give Valencia a 2-1 win at home over last-placed Huesca.
Relegation-threatened Rayo Vallecano beat Levante 2-1 at home in a match that also featured a foggy pitch.