TEN-MAN Sevilla advanced to the Champions League knockout round with two matches to spare when they held on for a home draw with VfB Stuttgart in Group G.
The La Liga side had to play the final quarter of an hour with ten men after they used all three substitutes and the injured Aldo Duscher had to come off.
Manolo Jimenez's side had looked to be cruising to a fourth win out of four in the group
when they carved open the visitors' defence with a slick passing move in the 14th minute. Ndri Romaric picked out Luis Fabiano and the Brazilian striker's first-time through ball released Jesus Navas to finish coolly past the onrushing Jens Lehmann.
Sevilla goalkeeper Javi Varas did well to sprint off his line and smother an effort from Arthur Boka in the 36th minute but Stuttgart offered little else in attack before the break.
They showed more fight in the second half and substitute Sebastien Rudy just failed to turn in a floated free-kick in the 52nd minute. Pavel Pogrebnyak nodded against the crossbar two minutes later.
The dynamic of the match changed in the 74th minute when Duscher, who had been on the pitch for only 12 minutes, had to go off and the Bundesliga side pressed forward for an equaliser.
Zdravko Kuzmanovic found it when he picked up the ball in a central position just outside the area in the 79th minute and arrowed a shot into the top corner from 20 yards.
Sevilla, though, had Unirea Unirea's Marius Onofras to thank for making it through to the next round after his late equaliser against Rangers. Sevilla have ten points from four matches, Unirea have five, Stuttgart three and Rangers two.
Sevilla: Javi Varas, Konko, Squillaci, Escude, Fernando Navarro, Jesus Navas, Zokora, Romaric (Duscher 62), Diego Capel (Perotti 57), Kone (Negredo 30), Luis Fabiano. Subs not used: Palop, Renato, Sergio Sanchez, Lolo. Booked: Escude.
Stuttgart: Lehmann, Boulahrouz (Celozzi 46), Tasci, Delpierre, Boka, Hilbert (Rudy 45), Kuzmanovic, Hitzlsperger (Schieber 64), Elson, Hleb, Pogrebniak. Subs not used: Stolz, Niedermaier, Gebhart, Magnin. Booked: Elson, Hilbert, Boka.
Referee: M Atkinson (Eng)
Attendance: 43,200.
