Reigning Europa League champions Sevilla will face Ukrainian outfit Dnipro in the competition’s final on May 27th in Warsaw, after both won their semi-final ties on Thursday night.
Dnipro made it through to the final by claiming a 1-0 victory over Napoli at the Kiev Olimpico Stadium and winning the tie 2-1 aggregate. Napoli went into the clash as favourites, despite drawing 1-1 Naples and Dnipro claiming an away goal.
The Italian side started the brighter and Argentinian striker Gonzalo Higuain should have opened the scoring on ten minutes, but saw his shot well saved by Denys Boyko. Leo Matos also headed behind from a Jose Callejon cross.
Napoli continued to press forward and Higuain saw a header saved by Boyko before the break. Dnipro came out more confident in the second period and took the lead on the night on 58 minutes.
Winger Yevhen Konoplyanka beat two defenders, before finding Yevhen Seleznyov, who headed over Mariano Andujar into the net.
The home side pushed for an equaliser for the rest of the game, but could not find a way of beating Boyko in the Dnipro goal and it was the Ukrainians that made it to the final.
They will face holders Sevilla, who defeated Fiorentina 2-0 in Florence and claimed a comprehensive 5-0 aggregate triumph. Fiorentina looked the stronger in the opening stages, but the Spanish side took the lead on 22 minutes, as Colombian striker Carlos Bacca fired home.
Five minutes later Daniel Carrico doubled Sevilla’s lead and ensured that the reigning champions will have a chance to retain their crown in Warsaw at the end of the month.
Who will win the Europa League final?
