PSV fight back from two goals down to beat Sevilla and reach knockouts

SEVILLE, Spain :PSV Eindhoven reached the Champions League last 16 after they fought back from two goals down to earn a 3-2 win in a high-octane group stage encounter against Sevilla on Wednesday that ended the Spanish side's qualification hopes.

Defender Sergio Ramos gave Sevilla the lead in the 24th minute and Youssef En Nesyri chipped the ball over the goalkeeper to extend their advantage two minutes after the break.

Yet the match turned on its head after Sevilla's Lucas Ocampos was sent off in the 66th minute for two yellow cards in the space of three minutes.

Ismael Saibari got PSV back in the game with a fine volley in the 68th minute and the Dutch side equalised with an own goal by defender Nemanja Gudelj in the 81st.

Ricardo Pepi's header earned the visitors a comeback victory that lifted them to second place in the Group B on eight points.

That proved enough to earn a place in the knockouts after group leaders Arsenal thrashed third-placed Lens 6-0 later on Wednesday.

With five points and an inferior head-to-head record, Lens cannot catch PSV.

Sevilla, who are bottom on two points, will now set their sights on qualifying for the Europa League by finishing third in the group.

The record seven-times Europa League winners, who have won only one of their last 12 matches in all competitions, must beat the French side in their last group match to finish ahead of them in the standings.

"We had a favourable result after dominating the first half, but going a man down killed us and they took advantage of it," Sevilla's Ramos told Movistar Plus.