Football: Holders Sevilla to meet 1st-time Euro finalists Dnipro in Europa League final

Dnipro's Yevhen Seleznyov celebrating his goal against Napoli in Kiev on May 14, 2015. The Ukrainian team will face holders Sevilla in the Euro League final in Warsaw on May 27. -- PHOTO: AFP
Dnipro's Yevhen Seleznyov celebrating his goal against Napoli in Kiev on May 14, 2015. The Ukrainian team will face holders Sevilla in the Euro League final in Warsaw on May 27. -- PHOTO: AFP

PARIS (AFP) - Holders Sevilla will face unheralded Ukrainians Dnipro in the Europa League final in Warsaw on May 27, after winning their respective semi-finals in contrasting fashions.

Sevilla, seeking a record fourth success in the competition, were firmly in the driver's seat after last week's 3-0 first-leg success against Fiorentina, and finished off Fiorentina with first-half goals from Carlos Bacca and Daniel Carrico.

Dnipro, on the other hand, secured their first ever European final by edging Rafael Benitez's Napoli 1-0 in Kiev to go through 2-1 on aggregate. Napoli, the 1989 Uefa Cup winners, were the better side in the first half but Yevhen Seleznyov put paid to their Europa League dreams with his 58th-minute goal.

Napoli will be fed up with the sight of Seleznyov as it was he who had come on as a substitute last week to snatch a vital 1-1 draw in Naples.

In Florence, any hopes of a Fiorentina comeback fizzled out when Colombian striker Bacca opened the scoring for Sevilla in the 22nd minute off an Ever Banega free-kick. Five minutes later the Italians were caught napping by another set piece, Carrico tapping in a deflected long ball up the right.

While the Spanish La Liga outfit are old Europa League hands, Dnipro are sailing in uncharted waters, setting up an intriguing climax to the competition with the winner for the first time securing direct entry to next season's Champions League.

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.