Sevilla closed in on La Liga's top four with a comfortable 3-0 win over Elche at the Estadio Ramon this evening.

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The home side started quite slowly but were presented with a chance to take the lead after 17 minutes when Coro felled Jose Antonio Reyes in the penalty area. Carlos Bacca stepped up to take it and made no mistake from 12 yards.

Sevilla took control after the opener and Denis Suarez twice went close before Bacca netted his and the hosts' second on the half-hour mark with a header from Coke Andujar's cross.

Elche needed a goal before half time to give themselves hope of a comeback and they almost got it when Faycal Fajr's near-post effort was turned away by Sergio Rico.

The second half began in end-to-end fashion, but neither side could grab the third goal as Elche's chances of mounting a comeback diminished.

Any hopes the visitors had of snatching a point were extinguished in the 81st minute when Kevin Gameiro, less than 10 minutes after coming on as a substitute, curled home from Ever Banega's pass.

Sevilla have now gone more than a year and 22 league games without defeat at home, winning 16 and drawing six.

Their win moves them up a place to fifth and within four points of fourth-placed Atletico Madrid, who have drawn three league games in a row to drop behind Valencia.

Elche, meanwhile, remain 15th in the table, two points clear of the bottom three.