<p>The game, played with Sevilla sitting dangerously close to the relegation zone, was decided by a second-half goal from Alexis Sánchez. That strike proved enough to push Sevilla up to 17th place, just above the drop zone, with four matches left to play.</p>
<p>One of the biggest talking points before kick-off was the absence of Adams from the starting line-up. The Nigerian striker, who has been Sevilla’s main goal threat this season, remained on the bench for the entire 90 minutes. Instead, Ejuke was handed a rare start and played the full match.</p>
<p>Adams has still been one of Sevilla’s most important players this season. He has scored 8 goals and provided 3 assists in 28 La Liga games. His standout moments include an expertly-taken penalty against Atlético Madrid and a goal in a 4-1 win over Barcelona. He also leads the team for shots (44) and shots on target (27).</p>
<p>But García Plaza made it clear that recent performances and tactical needs guided his decision, not reputation or past contributions.</p>
<p>“I bet on Neal and he scored a goal the other day, that’s all there is to it. Akor, with me, has played every game; he scored a penalty against Atlético and we took advantage of Neal, who was very good the other day,” he said.</p>
<p>The Sevilla coach also stressed that his team selection is now based on impact rather than minutes, especially as the season reaches its decisive stage.<br>He added: “Hopefully Neal will keep scoring and Akor will stay in the back line. We brought him on the other day and he needs to be ready. Right now, it’s not the number of minutes each player gets that’s important, but the quality of the minutes they give us. Neal played well the other day and hopefully he’ll have another game like that. If not, we’ll have Akor for the second half.”</p>
<p>Sevilla fight hard for survival</p>
<p>Super Eagles forward Ejuke made only his fifth start of the campaign against Real Sociedad.</p>
<p>Sevilla boss Plaza also revealed that Ejuke’s inclusion was about adding a different attacking threat. Unlike more direct or wing-focused players, the Nigerian winger brings unpredictability, dribbling, and the ability to draw defenders out of shape.</p>
<p>García Plaza explained: “And with Ejuke, we’re looking for the kind of situations he creates; he’s very confident, good in one-on-one situations, good at drawing defenders out… We’re changing from a more wing-oriented player, like Oso, to one who’s more of a stand-up player, someone who can create chances, trigger attacks, and draw players in.”</p>
<p>That plan worked. Ejuke, who has struggled with form and injuries this season, showed flashes of his quality and was named Man of the Match.</p>
<p>Earlier in the campaign, he had already shown his value with a late winner against Real Valladolid and impressive dribbling numbers across Europe’s top leagues.</p>
<p>Despite the win, Sevilla’s La Liga situation remains delicate. They are just one point above the relegation zone, having climbed above Deportivo Alavés. Before this win, they had lost five of their previous seven matches, during an inconsistent run.</p>
<p>The Rojiblancos may need to win two of their last four games against Espanyol, Villarreal, Real Madrid, and Celta Vigo to secure their top-flight status.</p>