Levante snatch 99th-minute equaliser to deny Sevilla in six-goal thriller

Levante scored in the 99th minute to earn a 3-3 draw with Sevilla in a remarkable six-goal contest and extend their unbeaten head-to-head run to three matches, with two wins and one draw.

Ifeanyi Ndukwe bundled the ball over the line at the death after Levante goalkeeper Mathew Ryan had saved efforts from Dela and Nacho Perez. The defender had earlier gifted Sevilla their opening goal with an underhit back pass.

Jon Ander Olasagasti almost caught Odysseas Vlachodimos off his line from the centre circle in the opening stages, but his ambitious attempt drifted wide.

Sevilla went ahead when Ndukwe’s misplaced pass presented Robbie Ure with possession. The striker rounded Ryan and finished into an empty net for his first goal in Spanish football.

Levante gradually began to threaten, with Adrian de la Fuente forcing Vlachodimos into a fine low save from distance. Sevilla ended the first half strongly, however, as Youssouf Fofana ran into the area before shooting straight at Ryan.

Fofana then sent a free-kick over the crossbar, while Juan Iglesias saw a 30-yard effort beaten away. Ure also missed from close range, scuffing wide from near the penalty spot as Levante went into the interval just one goal behind.

Sevilla continued to control the early stages of the second half. Ure missed another opportunity before Miguel Sierra’s powerful strike grazed Ryan’s fingertips and struck the crossbar.

The visitors eventually doubled their advantage when Felix Correia reacted quickest to Ure’s knockdown in the penalty area and finished from close range.

Levante responded almost immediately. Isaac Romero turned sharply inside the box and fired past Vlachodimos at his near post from a tight angle to reduce the deficit.

Romero went close to adding another when his bobbling effort from outside the area was saved. Sevilla then missed the chance to restore their two-goal cushion after Ure was sent through one-on-one but dragged his shot wide.

With the match appearing to be slipping away from Levante, the announcement of eight minutes of added time offered renewed hope. Dela made the most of it, meeting a dropping ball on the edge of the area and guiding a long-range strike perfectly into the net to make it 2-2.

Sevilla regained the lead moments later when Romero broke forward and curled a superb finish into the top corner from 25 yards. His celebration brought a second yellow card, leaving Sevilla with 10 players.

That dismissal proved costly. Levante pressed again, and after Ryan had denied close-range attempts from Dela and Nacho Perez, Ndukwe atoned for his earlier mistake by forcing home the final equaliser.

The point lifted Levante out of the relegation zone and prevented a third consecutive defeat. Sevilla missed the opportunity to move within two points of fourth-placed Real Madrid.

Flashscore Man of the Match: Robbie Ure (Sevilla)