Levante 3–3 Sevilla: How a Wild Stoppage-Time Finish Turned the Match Upside Down
Levante and Sevilla produced a dramatic 3–3 draw on 12 October 2026, in a match that appeared to be slipping away from the home side before an extraordinary stoppage-time sequence changed everything.
Sevilla took the lead in the 13th minute after Robbie Ure capitalised on a defensive mistake. Félix Correia doubled the visitors' advantage early in the second half, leaving Levante with a difficult task.
However, Levante refused to surrender. Iván Romero pulled one back in the 57th minute, and the game remained finely balanced as both sides searched for another breakthrough.
Then came the chaos.
Dela equalised in the 90+2nd minute with a superb strike from outside the penalty area. Isaac Romero appeared to have won the game for Sevilla with an equally impressive finish at 90+5', but his second yellow card moments later left Sevilla with ten men.
Just when the visitors seemed to have survived, Ifeanyi Ndukwe scored from close range in the 90+10th minute to make it 3–3. VAR reviewed the goal for a possible offside, and the match eventually ended after a remarkable 15 minutes of added time.
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Match Details
- Fixture: Levante vs Sevilla
- Final score: Levante 3–3 Sevilla
- Date: 12 October 2026
- Kick-off: 21:00
- Referee: Adrián Cordero
- Final whistle: 90+15'
Goalscorers
| Minute | Team | Goalscorer |
|---|---|---|
| 13' | Sevilla | Robbie Ure |
| 54' | Sevilla | Félix Correia |
| 57' | Levante | Iván Romero |
| 90+2' | Levante | Dela |
| 90+5' | Sevilla | Isaac Romero |
| 90+10' | Levante | Ifeanyi Ndukwe |
Note: Correia's goal was initially disallowed for offside but was subsequently allowed following a VAR review.
1. Robbie Ure Punished Levante's Defensive Mistake
The match began with Levante attempting to build attacks through the wide areas and create opportunities around Sevilla's penalty area.
Victor García's corner in the third minute was cleared, while Oriol Rey fired over in the fifth minute. Levante were showing attacking intent, but they had not yet turned that early activity into a clear advantage.
Sevilla, meanwhile, gradually found their rhythm through possession and movement. Their patience paid off in the 13th minute.
A defensive mistake from Levante presented Robbie Ure with an opportunity to collect the ball and finish into the net. The goal made it 1–0 to Sevilla and immediately changed the pressure on the home side.
This was not a goal that required Sevilla to dismantle Levante through a long passing sequence. The decisive factor was the error itself. By losing possession in a dangerous area, Levante gave the visitors an opportunity to attack before their defensive structure could recover.
MatchWhy tactical sketch: Sevilla's opener
LEVANTE BUILD-UP
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Defensive mistake
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Robbie Ure wins possession
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Composed finish
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LEVANTE 0–1 SEVILLA
For Sevilla, the goal rewarded their willingness to press and take advantage of mistakes. For Levante, it created a problem that would follow them for much of the first half: they needed to attack without allowing the visitors to exploit further defensive weaknesses.
2. Levante Created Chances but Could Not Find an Equaliser
Despite falling behind, Levante continued to create opportunities.
Roger Brugué had a chance inside the penalty area in the 16th minute but failed to hit the target. Dela also tested Odysseas Vlachodimos with a long-range effort in the 28th minute, forcing the goalkeeper into an important save.
Levante's attacking play showed promise, particularly when they moved the ball into shooting positions around the edge of the area. However, Sevilla's defensive organisation repeatedly prevented those opportunities from becoming goals.
The hosts also tried to create danger through corners and crosses, but Sevilla generally dealt with the deliveries.
At the other end, Sevilla remained threatening. Robbie Ure missed narrowly in the 44th minute after receiving a pass from Youssouf Fofana, while Miguel Sierra came close in the 45th minute. His effort beat the goalkeeper but was blocked on the goal line by a defender.
That last incident was particularly important. Levante could have entered half-time two goals behind, but their defensive intervention kept the deficit at one.
The first half therefore ended with Sevilla leading 1–0, despite both teams having opportunities to score.
3. Félix Correia Doubled Sevilla's Lead After a VAR Review
The second half began with Sevilla immediately threatening to extend their advantage.
In the 51st minute, Miguel Sierra produced a powerful effort inside the penalty area. Mathew Ryan reacted superbly, pushing the shot onto the crossbar to keep Levante in the match.
It was a crucial save. Had Sevilla scored at that moment, Levante would have faced an even steeper challenge.
Three minutes later, however, the visitors found the net.
Robbie Ure supplied the ball to Félix Correia, who tapped it into an apparently empty goal. The assistant decision initially ruled the effort out for offside, prompting a VAR review.
After the review, the goal was allowed to stand, putting Sevilla 2–0 ahead.
The sequence mattered beyond the scoreline. Levante had just survived a major chance through Ryan's save, only to concede moments later. The hosts now needed two goals merely to draw level.
MatchWhy tactical sketch: Sevilla extend the lead
Robbie Ure
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| Pass into the box
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Félix Correia
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| Close-range finish
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GOAL CONFIRMED
BY VAR
LEVANTE 0–2 SEVILLA
Sevilla had turned their early advantage into a commanding position. Their second goal also demonstrated the importance of continuing attacks after forcing the opposition goalkeeper into a save.
However, the game was far from finished.
4. Iván Romero Gave Levante a Route Back Into the Match
Levante responded quickly to the second goal.
In the 56th minute, the home side introduced fresh attacking options, and the changes soon produced a breakthrough.
One minute later, Roger Brugué played a pass into Iván Romero inside the penalty area. Romero curled the ball into the right side of the net, reducing Sevilla's lead to 2–1.
The goal restored belief among the Levante players and supporters. Instead of chasing a two-goal deficit for the rest of the match, Levante now needed only one more goal to equalise.
The assist was just as important as the finish. Brugué found Romero in a dangerous position, allowing the striker to focus on placing the shot rather than creating the entire opportunity himself.
MatchWhy tactical sketch: Levante fight back
Roger Brugué
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| Pass into the box
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Iván Romero
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| Curled finish
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GOAL
LEVANTE 1–2 SEVILLA
The timing changed the contest. Sevilla had enjoyed a two-goal cushion for only a short period before Levante gave themselves a realistic chance of rescuing a result.
The remaining challenge was to sustain the pressure without leaving too much space for Sevilla to exploit on the counterattack.
5. Sevilla Tried to Protect Their Advantage
After Levante's goal, the match became a test of Sevilla's ability to manage their lead.
The visitors continued to create opportunities, but Levante were increasingly dangerous as the game progressed.
Juan Antonio Iglesias Sánchez fired narrowly wide in the 72nd minute, while Levante's Iván Romero forced another save from Vlachodimos in the 70th minute.
Roger Brugué then tested the goalkeeper with a shot towards the bottom-right corner in the 78th minute. Vlachodimos made another excellent stop.
Those saves were significant because Sevilla's two-goal lead had disappeared. With the score at 2–1, another Levante goal would erase the visitors' advantage completely.
Levante continued to push through crosses, corners and attempts around the penalty area. Sevilla defended many of those situations successfully, but the repeated pressure made it increasingly difficult to close out the match comfortably.
The visitors also made substitutions, including the introduction of Isaac Romero in the 68th minute. He would eventually become central to the extraordinary closing stages.
6. Dela's Stunning Equaliser Changed Everything
With the match approaching its conclusion, Levante still needed a second goal.
It arrived in the 90+2nd minute.
Dela received the ball outside the penalty area and struck it first time. The shot flew into the top-right corner, leaving Vlachodimos unable to prevent the equaliser.
At 2–2, Levante had completed a remarkable recovery from two goals down.
The finish was outstanding because Dela did not need to take an extra touch or move closer to goal. He connected cleanly with the ball and sent it into a difficult area for the goalkeeper to reach.
MatchWhy tactical sketch: Dela's equaliser
LEVANTE ATTACK
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Dela
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First-time shot
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Top-right corner
LEVANTE 2–2 SEVILLA
90+2'
This goal transformed the final minutes. Sevilla had been close to securing a 2–1 victory, but they now had to defend their point against a Levante side full of momentum.
The emotional balance of the match had shifted dramatically.
7. Isaac Romero Appeared to Win It for Sevilla
Just three minutes after Dela's equaliser, Sevilla produced another dramatic moment.
At 90+5', Isaac Romero received the ball outside the penalty area and unleashed a powerful strike. The shot flew inside the right post, restoring Sevilla's lead at 3–2.
It was a spectacular response. After surrendering a two-goal advantage, Sevilla appeared to have found the decisive goal that would rescue their victory.
MatchWhy tactical sketch: Sevilla strike back
Isaac Romero
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Outside the box
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Powerful strike
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Inside right post
LEVANTE 2–3 SEVILLA
90+5'
However, the celebration was short-lived.
At 90+6', Isaac Romero received a yellow card that was his second of the match. He was sent off, leaving Sevilla with ten players during the closing stages.
The dismissal changed the situation immediately. Sevilla had regained the lead, but they now had fewer players available to defend it. Levante, meanwhile, had another reason to believe they could find one final opportunity.
The visitors needed to reorganise quickly and protect their advantage under intense pressure.
8. Ifeanyi Ndukwe's Late Goal Completed the Comeback
Levante refused to accept defeat.
During the frantic final moments, the home side continued to attack. Nacho Pérez had a rebound effort saved, and Dela forced another save from Vlachodimos.
Pablo García then produced a powerful strike towards the roof of the net in the 90+2nd minute of the recorded stoppage-time sequence, with the goalkeeper making a superb intervention. Levante continued to threaten through set pieces and second balls.
Finally, at 90+10', the decisive moment arrived.
After a melee inside the penalty area, the ball rebounded to Ifeanyi Ndukwe. He reacted quickly and finished from close range to make it 3–3.
Levante had equalised for the second time in the closing stages, turning a match that had appeared lost into a draw.
The goal was followed by a VAR review to determine whether there had been an offside in the build-up. Levante's players were unhappy as the review took place, but the match timeline records the goal as standing and the score remaining 3–3.
MatchWhy tactical sketch: The final equaliser
LEVANTE FINAL ATTACK
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Scramble in the box
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Rebound falls to
Ifeanyi Ndukwe
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Close-range finish
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VAR REVIEW
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LEVANTE 3–3 SEVILLA
90+10'
The goal highlighted the importance of reacting to rebounds in crowded penalty areas. Ndukwe did not need an elaborate attacking move; he needed to recognise where the ball had fallen and finish before the defence could recover.
For Sevilla, the sequence was devastating. Isaac Romero's late goal had seemingly restored their victory, but the subsequent dismissal and Levante's relentless pressure left them unable to preserve the lead.
MatchWhy Tactical Breakdown
Why Levante refused to give up
Levante's most important quality was their persistence.
Even when they were two goals behind, they continued to create chances rather than abandoning their attacking approach. Iván Romero's goal gave them a route back into the match, while Dela's superb equaliser demonstrated their ability to produce quality in a high-pressure situation.
Their late pressure also forced Sevilla to defend repeated attacks and second balls. Ndukwe's equaliser was the ultimate reward for continuing to pursue opportunities until the final whistle.
However, Levante's defensive mistake for the opening goal and their difficulty containing Sevilla's attacks meant they had to spend much of the match recovering.
Why Sevilla failed to close out the game
Sevilla had several opportunities to put the contest beyond Levante.
They scored twice, struck the crossbar through Miguel Sierra, and created other chances through Robbie Ure and Juan Antonio Iglesias Sánchez. Their attacking play was productive enough to establish a commanding lead.
The problem was that they could not maintain control once Levante began to build momentum.
The 2–2 equaliser exposed their inability to protect the advantage under pressure. Isaac Romero then appeared to rescue the situation, but his second yellow card left Sevilla a player short during the decisive moments.
That dismissal did not automatically guarantee an equaliser, but it made an already difficult defensive task harder against a Levante side that was attacking with urgency.
The decisive tactical factor
The match was decided by momentum, penalty-area reactions and late-game discipline.
Sevilla were clinical enough to take a two-goal lead, but Levante kept creating opportunities. Dela's long-range finish shifted the pressure, Isaac Romero's strike briefly restored Sevilla's advantage, and the sending-off created a difficult final defensive situation.
Ndukwe's close-range finish completed the sequence.
Neither side managed to combine attacking effectiveness with defensive security for the full 90 minutes and beyond.
Players Who Shaped the Match
Ifeanyi Ndukwe — Levante
Ndukwe scored the crucial 90+10th-minute equaliser. His quick reaction to the loose ball ensured Levante salvaged a point after appearing to lose the match moments earlier.
Dela — Levante
Dela produced one of the defining moments of the game with his superb first-time strike into the top-right corner. His equaliser at 90+2' reignited the contest.
Iván Romero — Levante
Romero's 57th-minute goal reduced Sevilla's lead and gave Levante a realistic opportunity to recover from 2–0 down.
Robbie Ure — Sevilla
Ure capitalised on Levante's defensive mistake to open the scoring and later supplied the pass for Félix Correia's goal.
Félix Correia — Sevilla
Correia finished the move that put Sevilla 2–0 ahead, with the goal eventually allowed after a VAR review.
Isaac Romero — Sevilla
Romero's powerful late strike appeared to win the match for Sevilla. His subsequent dismissal, however, became a major turning point in the final moments.
Odysseas Vlachodimos — Sevilla
Vlachodimos made several important saves, including efforts from Dela and Roger Brugué. His interventions kept Sevilla ahead for much of the contest, although the late pressure eventually proved too much.
What Levante Must Learn
Levante can take considerable encouragement from recovering twice and scoring three goals against Sevilla.
Their persistence was impressive, especially after falling two goals behind. The late equaliser demonstrated the value of continuing to attack and reacting quickly to loose balls inside the penalty area.
However, the defensive mistake that led to Sevilla's opener showed how costly losing possession in dangerous areas can be. Levante also allowed Sevilla to create several opportunities after taking the lead in the first half.
The comeback was valuable, but reducing those defensive errors would help the team avoid needing extraordinary late recoveries in future matches.
What Sevilla Must Learn
Sevilla will be frustrated that they failed to win after leading 2–0 and then scoring what appeared to be a late winner.
Their attacking play was effective, and their forwards produced moments of real quality. Yet their inability to manage the final stages turned a promising result into a draw.
Isaac Romero's second yellow card was particularly costly because it left the team with ten players while Levante were pushing desperately for an equaliser.
Sevilla must improve their late-game decision-making, defensive organisation and ability to manage pressure when protecting a narrow lead.
The Match in One Sentence
Levante came back from 2–0 down, survived a late Sevilla goal and Isaac Romero's winner attempt, then rescued a dramatic 3–3 draw through Ifeanyi Ndukwe's stoppage-time equaliser.
Final Takeaway
Levante and Sevilla delivered one of the most dramatic possible endings to a football match.
Sevilla looked firmly in control after Robbie Ure and Félix Correia established a 2–0 lead. Iván Romero's goal gave Levante hope, and Dela's stunning strike brought the hosts level in stoppage time.
Isaac Romero then appeared to deliver the final blow with a powerful finish, only to be sent off moments later. Levante took advantage of the remaining opportunity, with Ifeanyi Ndukwe reacting quickest inside the penalty area to secure the 3–3 draw.
The final score reflected a match in which both teams attacked effectively but struggled to control the decisive moments. Sevilla had the victory within reach; Levante simply refused to let it go.
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