体坛英语新闻：Sevilla thrash Villarreal 3-0 to reach Copa del Rey semifinal

MADRID, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- Reigning Copa del Rey holders Sevilla booked a place in the semifinals of the Spanish Copa del Rey with a 3-0 win over Villarreal.

Renato Santos, Freddy Kanoute and Alexis Ruano scored the goals that took Gregorio Manzano's side into the last four of the competition with a 6-3 aggregate triumph.

The game was also memorable for the fact that defender Sergio Sanchez made his first start as a Sevilla player after undergoing heart surgery last year.

Following the 3-3 draw in the El Madrigal last week, Villarreal kicked off the game knowing they needed to score at least one goal to have a chance of making the last four of the competition.

With a side missing five first team regulars, the visitors were under pressure from the start in a packed Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium.

Renato Santos put the home side ahead after seven minutes after Alvaro Negredo had knocked the ball past Villarreal keeper Diego Lopez following a Mouhamadou Dabo cross from the left wing.

Villarreal reacted well. Jozy Altidore fired over and Gonzalo Rodriguez saw a header hit the crossbar after 26 minutes, before Sevilla keeper Javi Vargas saved a curling shot from Giuseppe Rossi.

However, the game was over five minutes into the second half as a Freddy Kanoute header on 47 minutes and another header from Alexis Ruano three minutes later put Sevilla 3-0 up on the night

Sevilla will face the winner of Thursday's tie between Atletico and Real Madrid in which Real hold a 3-1 lead from the first leg.