Alavés’ need prevailed over a shattered Betis, who played the worst game of the season in Vitoria. There are reasons that explain the bad encounter of the Andalusians. The first, without a doubt, the fatigue after accumulating one crash after another while being alive in the three competitions. Then, the formidable effort of Alavés was key, which they surpassed from minute one to ninety. Two goals at the beginning of each half finished off the green and white team, which accumulated its second defeat of the season and did not take advantage of Espanyol’s setback to overtake it for fifth place. The best exponent of Betis’ bad game was Antony, very angry after being replaced in the second half after a very poor performance. He was neither confrontational nor decisive as in previous appointments. The clear victory of Alavés causes the situation in the lower part of the classification to burn. Now it is Getafe that occupies the relegation place, tied on 21 points with Mallorca. The Madrid team plays against Girona this Monday.
2
Antonio Sivera, Carlos Protesoni, Nahuel Tenaglia, Jonny, Jonny, Antonio Búbá, Pablo Ibáñez (Abde Rebbaach, 91), alienary Charles (Yessef Enríquez, min. 91), Carlos Vicente (Devara, min. 82).
1
Pau López, Natan (Diego Llorente, min. 59), Marc Bartra, Valentín Gómez, Ángel Ortiz, Pablo Fornals (Nelson Deossa, min. 75), Marc Roca, Antony (Pablo García, min. 59), Abde Ezzalzouli, Sergi Altimira (Chimy Ávila, min. 59) and Cédric Bakambu (Iván Corralejo, min. 75)
Goals
1-0 min. 2: Carlos Vicente. 2-0 min. 46: Toni Martínez. 2-1 min. 94: Abde
Referee Miguel Angel Ortiz Arias
yellow cards
Souza (min. 35), Aleñá (min. 65)
There was a lot of play for Alavés on the cold and rainy night in Vitoria. And the need of those who are risking their lives outweighed the interest of a Betis that is still fighting on all fronts and faced the duel with many casualties. The initial push by Alavés was predictable, therefore, and after three minutes they took the lead on the scoreboard. The Betic defense made a statue of the movements of Lucas Boyé, who assisted the area for Carlos Vicente to score. It was the reward for , who came out with two forwards and brought in Protesoni as a central defender, as well as fair punishment for a disconnected Betis. The green and white, little by little, tried to get into the match despite the timidity and lack of intensity with which they faced the clash. Altimira put a great ball to Bakambu, who started due to Cucho’s injury, and the forward shot over Sivera’s body.
Protesoni responded with a shot inside the area that was stopped by Pau López, once again the starter to the detriment of Valles. Betis led with the ball, although without the speed and talent necessary to overwhelm a team as aggressive as Alavés. The locals tried with several shots from outside the area, well resolved by the Catalan goalkeeper, and only became concerned when the referee gave a penalty for a tackle. It seemed like it, but the VAR cleared the referee of his mistake. Betis continued trying, without effectiveness, but above all without the football that demanded a duel as tough as the one proposed by Alavés. The Basques, with their revamped defense and two forwards, won fairly at half-time. Carlos Vicente’s law was imposed on the right wing to the nightmare of Argentine Valentín.
As soon as the second half began, a new error by the Betic defense, especially Bartra, allowed Toni Martínez to score Alavés’ second goal. Betis was an example of impotence in the second half. Alavés closed out the match, defending very well and coming out on the counterattack. Betis had hardly any options and the changes that Pellegrini introduced made the green and white team worse, without spark, dissolved and with very little football. Not even with Abde’s goal in extra time did Betis have any chance of achieving a tie. Alavés, the just winner, celebrated its important victory.
