体坛英语资讯：Sevilla crashes out of Champions League to Sporting Brage

Spanish La Liga side Sevilla were knocked out of the Champions League by Portuguese team Sporting Braga on Tuesday night.

Sporting followed last week's 1-0 home win with a 4-3 triumph in the Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium to leave the Spaniards on the receiving end of a major surprise.

Sporting made an unexpected first ever appearance in the group stage of the Champions League as a reward for some solid defending and fast play on the break.

Sevilla coach Alberto Aguillar made his intentions clear right from the start by including strikers Freddy Kanoute and Luis Fabiano in his starting 11.

Fabiano's inclusion in the side means he will not be able to play in the Champions League for any other club this season and should put an end to speculation about his future.

As expected as a side that needed to score twice to assure its place in the next round, Sevilla began by putting their rivals under pressure.

Luis Fabiano fired wide, but the home team was having problems in turning its hard work into clear cut scoring chances and their play became bad tempered with two visiting players, Echiejile and Salino picking up yellow cards.

Luis Fabiano was Sevilla's most dangerous player, but saw how Sporting Braga goalkeeper Felipe saved one header from a corner, before another shot went just wide of the Portuguese side's goal.

Sporting Braga scored a vital away goal after 31 minutes as Matheus fired home from inside the Sevilla area following a rebound. That goal meant that the Spaniards had to score three goals in order to secure a place in the group stage.

The lack of effective midfield play from Sevilla in the 15 minutes between the goal and the halftime whistle suggested that was going to be difficult and the fans in the Sanchez Pizjuan stadium booed their players from the pitch at the break.

The second half began with Sevilla again looking for a goal but once again the attack was lacking in clarity and it was Sporting who scored a second goal after 58 minutes.

Matheus made space down the right and Lima, who had only just entered the game sidefooted home his cross from the right.

That left Sevilla needing to score four times in just half an hour and Luis Fabiano pulled one back quickly with a right foot shot that Felipe should have done better with.

The goal gave fresh life to Sevilla and Jose Carlos hit the underside of the Braga bar from a tight angle before Jesus Navas drew a good save from Felipe, although Andres Palop had to be at his best to save from Silvio at the other end.

Navas leveled the scores with six minutes remaining, but Lima's second goal of the night made it 3-2 to Sporting and assured their place in the group stage.

Lima completed his hat-trick in the last minute of the game and although Kanoute scored Sevilla's third, there was no time for the Spanish side to save the tie.