Oviedo led by Guillermo Almada was close to achieving its first victory. They tied for the third time in a row, which they only equaled in the final stretch of the game and which gave the impression of going through a poor moment of play. Without spark or tension, a goal from Lo Celso rescued him in the 83rd minute after Ilyas Chaira had put the Asturians ahead. An important goal, the first at home after six games. Oviedo was close to victory, proving to be alive, although it is also true that Betis had very clear chances to win. Especially in the first act with two shots at the post and on one occasion by Riquelme in the last action of the match. However, the feelings of the green and white team were not good. Mannered and predictable, he was surpassed in many moments by Oviedo despite his clear opportunities to score.
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Aarón Escandell, Rahim Alhassane, Lucas Ahijado, David Carmo, David Costas, Kwasi Sibo (Nicolás Fonseca, min. 56), Santiago Colombatto (Leander Dendoncker, min. 85), Ilyas Chaira (Javi López, min. 84), Alberto Reina, Haissem Hassan (Josip Brekalo, min. 75) y Álex Forés (Thiago Borbas, min. 75)
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Álvaro Valles, Marc Bartra, Junior Firpo (Ricardo Rodríguez, min. 79), Valentín Gómez, Ángel Ortiz (Héctor Bellerín, min. 60), Giovani Lo Celso, Pablo Fornals, Marc Roca, Aitor Ruibal (Rodrigo Riquelme, min. 73), Antony and Cucho Hernández (Chimy Ávila, min. 79)
Goals
1-0 min. 63: Ilyas Chaira. 1-1 min. 82: Giovani Lo Celso
Referee Guillermo Cuadra Fernandez
yellow cards
David Carmo (min. 47), Nicolás Fonseca (min. 87), Thiago Borbas (min. 87), Chimy Ávila (min. 89)
It is commendable that the bottom of the League, Oviedo, after 11 games without winning, proposes such a brave match to Betis. . Their forward pressure and the release of the ball played from behind were the keys to Oviedo’s game. And that has virtues and, also, its risks. Among the virtues, the fact that the match was very even and that Oviedo’s intensity barely allowed Betis’ important players to play, in the case of Lo Celso or Antony. Betis was a sad team, without continuity, but they have quality.
That is why he had up to three clear scoring chances in the first season to take the lead on the scoreboard. Some, a product of thefts due to Oviedo’s daring ball exit. Fornals missed an incredible goal after an error by goalkeeper Aarón and Cucho still shot from the center of the field to the crossbar after another error by Sibo in control. Furthermore, in a great counterattack, Cucho launched another missile at the crossbar.
Without having done practically anything, Betis had thrown two balls at . The Asturian team also had some opportunities, such as a center from the active Hassan that Reina did not reach. It is a team with many problems scoring, also orphaned by its best striker, Viña, due to suspension. This caused Forés to start, a forward who is on the starting ramp and who has played twelve games this season without scoring a goal.
Betis’ tedious pace continued in the second half. Disappeared, it gave the impression that the Andalusians were waiting for a mistake by Oviedo to get ahead on the scoreboard. It didn’t arrive. Quite the opposite. A long ball that was very poorly defended by Bartra reached Ilyas, who took advantage of the poor positioning of the Betis defense and goalkeeper to score with a long-range shot. Betis had a hard time in a few moments where Oviedo seemed to enjoy the victory. It didn’t come because Antony and Lo Celso managed to combine in the 83rd minute. Lo Celso scored with a header from the Brazilian’s cross. A miracle that the Argentine scored with a header. As seen at Carlos Tartiere, Oviedo needs a miracle to win a game again. The bottom team has already accumulated twelve games without winning (seven draws and five losses). With Almada, at least, he doesn’t lose. The Uruguayan coach has achieved three draws in a row. Against this gray Betis, victory was close.
“We could have ended the game in the first half and we didn’t. They scored against us in their only clear action. The point is not enough for us, although for dedication and attitude I have nothing to reproach mine”, . “The three substitutions were due to three muscle injuries, those of Ortiz, Junior and Cucho. We will surely have them out for a few games,” he added. “We are not bad in the League, I give the team a thumbs up in this first round waiting for what we can do in the Cup and in the Europa League,” concluded the Betis coach.
