Iago Aspas struck a last-minute winner as Sevilla laboured to a 3-2 win over 10-man Espanyol to move into the top four in La Liga.
Christian Stuani fired the visitors ahead from the penalty spot in an incident that should have seen Beto sent off for the initial foul.
However, goals from Diogo Figueiras - a 45-yard strike - and Vitolo turned the game on its head, before Espanyol keeper Kiko Casilla was sent off in what proved a madcap first half.
Unai Emery's side toiled in the final third for much of the second half, with Aspas and Vicente Iborra striking the post, before Victor Sanchez curled home for the visitors as Espanyol looked like winning a shock point.
However, Aspas was on hand to settle a thrilling encounter in Andalusia with what was his first La Liga goal for the Rojiblancos.
Below, relive all of the action.
Good evening ladies and gentlemen and you're very welcome to our live text commentary as Sevilla host Espanyol at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan. I'm Shane, and I'll be taking you through all the action as our hosts look to avenge their recent Copa del Rey defeat to the Catalan side.
Yep, revenge is very much on the agenda for Unai Emery's side, who beat Espanyol 1-0 here on Thursday, but lost the tie 3-2 on aggregate. They won the battle, but lost the war, and another win here might soften the blow of that quarter-final exit - victory could prove much more important, too.
That is because three points will lift Champions League-chasing Sevilla above Valencia into fourth in La Liga. It's too early to suggest that they would stay there until May and re-establish themselves among Europe's elite next season, because there's still 18 league games remaining, but keeping pace in the top-four race is vital and it's not only a race to the Champions League, it might also be an escape route from the dreaded Europa League. No lack of motivation for Sevilla then.
Right, so let's get some team news into us, shall we? Why not. I'll have this very soon indeed so don't go anywhere. Seriously. I'll know.
SEVILLA XI: Beto; Figueiras, Arribas, Kolo, Navarro; Iborra, Carrico; Vidal, Banega, Vitolo; Aspas
ESPANYOL XI: Casilla; Javi Lopez, Colotto, Moreno, Fuentes; Canas, Abraham, Victor, Salva; Montanes, Stuani
Right, we'll start with Sevilla and I can tell you that Emery makes no fewer than SIX changes from the 1-0 win over the Catalans earlier this week. Diogo Figueiras, who scored that goal, replaces Coke at right back, while Alejandro Arribas comes in for Nicolas Pareja to partner Timothee Kolodziejczak - or Kolo as he is commonly known. Lord knows why - at centre-back, with Fernando Navarro at left-back.
Daniel Carrico and Vicente Iborra continue sitting in front of that defence, but it's changes galore in attack as Alexis Vidal, Ever Banega, Vitolo and Iago Aspas start ahead of Gerard Deulofeu, Denis Suarez, Kevin Gameiro and top goalscorer Carlos Bacca.
On to Espanyol now and Sergio Rodriguez makes EIGHT changes. Kiko Casilla returns in nets, while Salva Sevilla, Christian Stuani, Abraham, Javi Lopez, Diogo Colotto and Paco Montanes all come into the side. Hector Moreno, Jose Canas and Victor Sanchez are the only survivors from the defeat here on Thursday.
PREDICTION: Right, we're about five minutes from kickoff now so let's lodge a pre-match prediction, and I'm going 2-1 Sevilla. They've elected to bench quite a few of their heavy-hitters in attack, most notably Carlos Bacca, so I think victory is definitely on the cards but it'll be a close affair. I'm notoriously bad at these so don't be surprised if Espanyol win 4-0.
KICKOFF: Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand we're off at the Ramon Sanchez Pizijuan, my friends. Espanyol, playing from left to right, get us underway. There's a touch of Harcester United off Espanyol tonight, in their all purple kit. #dodgy
Plenty of possession for the hosts so far but Espanyol have repelled everything so far. It'll be interesting to see how Sevilla get on tonight without so many of their key players, with Deulofeu and Bacca among those on the bench.
You expect more from Ever Banega here. Sevilla break at pace with Banega surging up field, but instead of playing the simple pass to Vitolo, complicated things by switching play to the far corner and the attack broke up. Keep it simple pal.
This is a bad challenge as Diogo Colotto goes through the back of Alex Vidal in what should have earned him at least a yellow card, but it's just a free kick. Banega will whip it in, but Espanyol clear.
BOOKING: Vidal is booked for diving, and it's a fantastic decision by the referee. Vidal is outraged, but he's just saving face I think. He showed a remarkable turn of pace to ghost past Fuentes so lord knows why he didn't stay on his feet.
BOOKING: It's 1-1 in the yellow card stakes now as Jose Canas, the former Swansea City man, goes into the book for a trip on Vitolo. Good decision again.
PENALTY TO ESPANYOL: What drama at the Ramon Sanchez Pizijuan as Espanyol win a penalty after goalkeeper Beto fouls Salva Sevilla in the box. Beto was only booked when he should've been sent off. Huge moment in the game.
GOAL!!!! SEVILLA 0-1 ESPANYOL (Christian Stuani)
This is a fine penalty as Stuani gets plenty of power and precision to stroke beyond Beto. Fine penalty. Incidentally, that penalty decison came just moments after Arribas wasted the best chance of the game when he was denied by Kiko Casilla from close range. Fine margins.
If Sevilla end up turning this around then Espanyol boss Sergio Rodriguez will be fuming, and rightly so because Beto is extraordinarily fortunate to stay on the field. It was a goalscoring opportunity, and being the goalkeeper he was obviously the last man, so the mind boggles my friends.
CLOSE! Really good response from Sevilla and they're agonisingly close to an equaliser, as left-back Fernando Navarro fizzes as good a ball as you're likely to see into the box, but nobody is on hand to poke it home.
DOUBLE SAVE! Excellent from Kiko Casilla, who produces two top-notch saves to keep out Liverpool loanee Iago Aspas; first with a header, and the big keeper was quick enough to deny him again moments later. We can't fault Sevilla's desire here because they've been exceptional since falling behind.
BOOKING: Incidentally, Victor Sanchez was booked in the build-up to that last attack, which means that we've had four yellow cards already. We're not going to end with 22 men here.
GOAL!!!!!!! SEVILLA 1-1 ESPANYOL (Diogo Figueiras)
This is either the best or luckiest goal you'll see in 2015, as right-back Figueiras, who also scored on Thursday, takes aim from all of about 45 yards and it flies over Casilla and nestles in the back of the net. But did he mean it? It was a 50-50 challenge with Stuani and Figueiras just hits it as hard as he can and, well, it goes in. Fluke or genius? We'll never know.
Whether it was intentional or not is not important; what is important is that Sevilla are back on level terms and they've thoroughly deserved it because they've been excellent since Stuani's penalty. But will they keep it up? Not so far, because Espanyol are back on top now. It's funny what a goal does to your team's momentum, isn't it.
SHOT! Ever Banega, who's had a lukewarm night so far, fires well over the bar from outside the box. He's not been great.
ESPANYOL SUB: Hector Moreno is going off with injury now, and he looks visibly a little upset by it as Alvaro Gonzalez replaces him.
GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SEVILLA 2-1 ESPANYOL (Vitolo)
Sevilla go ahead and it stems from a Jose Canas error. The ex-Swansea man concedes possession in a dangerous area as Vidal latches on to it, drills a fantastic low cross into the box and Vitolo was on hand to tap home from close range. Big mistake from Canas, but take nothing away from Aleix Vidal for his part in the goal. Good work.
We said Espanyol boss Sergio Rodriguez would be fuming if Sevilla turned this around, by virtue of the fact that Beto somehow avoided a red card when conceding that earlier penalty, and he doesn't look best pleased. Who can blame him. It was a terrible decision by the referee and Sevilla have benefited from it.
RED CARD!!!!! This remarkable game has gotten far more mental. Aspas runs on to Banega's lofted pass and the Liverpool loanee goes to lob it over Kiko Casilla, who's well outside his box, and the big keeper instinctively palms it away and he's been sent off. Pau Lopez comes on for Salva.
Yet again, we have to ask why Beto was spared a red card when bringing down Salva for the penalty. Everything that has happened since has stemmed from that shocking decision by the referee, and Espanyol will be absolutely fuming.
HALF TIME: SEVILLA 2-1 ESPANYOL
Who says that the Premier League is the best in the world? This is comfortably the most action-packed first-half that I've seen in any league this season.
Christian Stuani fired Espanyol ahead from the penalty spot, and Sevilla keeper Beto somehow managed to avoid a red card in conceding the foul. Then, as we said, Diogo Figueiras either scored the best or luckiest goal of the season when he took aim from about 45 yards, but doubts remain whether it was a shot or a clearance of sorts. Sevilla then went 2-1 ahead through Vitolo, before Espanyol keeper Kiko Casilla was dismissed for cynically handling outside the area.
But everything that has happened, all the madness, directly stems from the referee's failure to send Beto off after conceding the penalty, and you have to feel sorry for Espanyol because the complexion of that first half should be far different for them. Shame.
Anywho, meet me back here in a few minutes for the conclusion of what has so far proven a pretty madcap game - and we love it! Barring a spaceship landing on the field, or Katy Perry appearing for the half-time show in a case of mistaken sporting events, then nothing would surprise me.
RESTART: Right so we're back underway in Seville, and there's a sub to tell you about as Sergio Garcia replaces Montanes in Espanyol's last change. Risky, but they have precious little to lose at this point.
SHOT! Banega, who didn't have a great first half, has looked lively since the break and he's done well there to screw a left-footed shot at goal, but Pau Lopez is equal to it.
More pressure from Sevilla now as Vitolo fizzes a very decent ball into the box, but Iago Aspas, unmarked at the back post, isn't tall enough to direct it into the net. They'll need to make the most of one of these chances because, at 2-1, victory isn't assured, 10 men or not.
Superb work from Vidal as he nutmegs Colotto and slides Aspas through on goal, but young keeper Pau Lopez is quick off his line to smother the chance and deny the Liverpool loanee.
Victor Sanchez is a lucky, lucky player as he brings Vidal down in a dangerous position, and he's penalised, but the referee elects against brandishing a second yellow card. It was a red card, but two wrongs don't make a right.
I expect Ever Banega to be called ashore shortly. He's not been great and he has just fluffed a good goalscoring chance by picking the wrong pass in a Sevilla counter. Denis Suarez might be a better option.
CLOSE! Espanyol just offer a gentle reminder that they're only a goal down, as second-half sub Sergio Garcia lashes a half-volley just wide of the post from outside the box. They can't afford to give a player like that so much space because, eventually, he will punish them.
OFF THE POST! Should be game over Vicente Iborra picks the ball up just inside the box and flashes a fierce shot against the post. Great work from Vidal in the build up.
OFF THE POST! They've only gone and struck the woodwork again! It's Aspas, who, by the way, is still searching for his first La Liga goal for Sevilla, and he nearly got it here as he tapped Vidal's cross against the post.
BOOKING: Ever Banega becomes the NINTH player to be booked in this game, and there's still over 20 minutes left.
Sevilla are really turning the screw now as Diogo goes down in the box, before Vitolo's cross is cut out by Fuentes. 20 minutes left and it should be about 5-1, but it's only two and Christian Stuani and Sergio Garcia are well capable of scoring if given a sniff.
SHOT! Another shot from Diogo Figueiras, but this one is a shocker as it ends up near the corner flag. Sergio Garcia's namesake will appreciate that.
Incidentally, we're on course to get our pre-match prediction of 2-1 spot-on - though it should be at least 6-1.
GOAL!!!! SEVILLA 2-2 ESPANYOL (Victor Sanchez)
Unbelieveable scenes as the 10 men of Espanyol grab a very, very unlikely equaliser, and it's Victor Sanchez, who should have been sent off earlier in this half, as he curls home from outside the box and it's a goal fit to win any point. Fine strike.
DOUBLE SEVILLA SUB: It's no more Mr Nice Guy from Sevilla now as Denis Suarez and Carlos Bacca come on to replace Vitolo and Banega. Now then let's see what Sevilla are made of. In truth, that Sanchez goal should not matter because it should be 6-1, but it's not.
SHOT! Desperate times call for desperate measures as left-back Fernando Navarro takes aim from well outside the box, and his effort sails comfortably over the bar. They're running out of ideas.
CLOSE! This is so very close, as Bacca does brilliantly to set up fellow sub Denis Suarez, who looks to bend it home from an angle but it sails just over the crossbar. It was a fantastic strike but just lacked a bit of direction.
GOAL!!!!!! SEVILLA 3-2 ESPANYOL (Aspas)
So cruel for Espanyol, as Aspas, who has missed plenty of chances in this game, is fed through by Bacca and he casually strokes past Lopez into the bottom corner and that's his first goal back in La Liga. What a time to get it.
CHANCE! What a twist this would've been as Fuentes heads Sanchez's free kick over the bar to spare Sevilla. There's three minutes added on.
FULL TIME: SEVILLA 3-2 ESPANYOL And that's it. Sevilla move fourth in La Liga with a dramatic win over 10-man Espanyol.
That's all from us, folks. Thanks for joining our live commentary of a truly bizarre game in Andalusia and I'll see you next time.
