La Liga round-up: Sevilla win derby, Malaga come from behind
Tuesday 20 September 2016 23:30, UK
Argentine international Gabriel Mercado bundled home the winner as Sevilla moved up to second in La Liga with a 1-0 win over fierce local rivals Real Betis on Tuesday.
Mercado's first goal for the club from on-loan Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri's free-kick continued the Europa League holders' four-year unbeaten run in the Seville derby in La Liga.
Betis were right to feel aggrieved just moments after Mercado's 51st minute winner, though, when Alex Alegria had an equaliser wrongly ruled out for offside against Ruben Castro.
But Jorge Sampaoli's men merited their third straight home win for their greater attacking intent in a typically intense and bad-tempered affair that saw nine players booked.
Sevilla leapfrog Barcelona and Atletico Madrid into second ahead of their meeting at the Nou Camp on Wednesday to move just a point behind leaders Real Madrid.
Earlier, Malaga came from behind to register their first win of the season thanks to teenage Moroccan forward Youssef En-Nesyri's winner 15 minutes from time in a 2-1 victory over Eibar.
