Two shots on goal and two goals from Betis. Valencia, better during many phases of the game, showed why they are in such a delicate situation, two points away from relegation. Carlos Corberán’s team dominated a lot, but they did not finish off a rival who was exhausted. Nor did his players understand the final stretch. They allowed a great run by Deossa down the wing due to Santamaría’s confusion. The Colombian, all faith, crossed into the area and Fornals achieved the second. Valencia looked foolish and Manuel Pellegrini regains fifth place while licking its wounds in search of the decisive Cup quarterfinal match against Atlético next Thursday. Betis, with problems, with many casualties, somewhat dissolved, took resources to win the game. He also won the Europa League on Thursday and is holding on while dreaming of the Cup. What the group led by Pellegrini is doing has a lot of merit. Valencia was good, but they will have to continue suffering. He did not understand that Betis was very affected and lacked the energy to go for the win.
2
Álvaro Valles, Ricardo Rodríguez, Marc Bartra, Diego Llorente (Valentín Gómez, min. 90), Aitor Ruibal, Antony (Ángel Ortiz, min. 90), Abde Ezzalzouli, Nelson Deossa, Sergi Altimira (Pablo Fornals, min. 45), Marc Roca and Chimy Ávila (Pablo García, min. 67)
1
Stole Dimitrievski, Copete (César Tárrega, min. 80), Dimitri Foulquier, José Gayà, Eray Cömert, Luis Rioja (Diego López, min. 76), Pepelu (Baptiste Santamaría, min. 71), Arnaut Danjuma, Filip Ugrinic, Hugo Duro (Umar Sadiq, min. 71) y Lucas Beltrán (André Almeida, min. 71)
Goals
0-1 min. 19: Luis Rioja. 1-1 min. 22: Chimy Ávila. 2-1 min. 87: Fornals
Referee José María Sánchez Martínez
yellow cards
Eray Cömer (min. 49), Pepelu (52 min.), Foulquier (I. 84)
There are many battles that Betis faces. Europe, the League and the quarterfinals of the Cup appear on the horizon of a team that is holding on as best it can. Against Valencia, a very lively rival despite fighting for relegation, Pellegrini rested thinking about Atlético and recomposed his team with Altimira in the midfield and Deossa in the midfield. The eight losses weighed like a weight on this Betis that depends a lot on Antony. Corberán made a good point. He took charge on the right wing of Betis, and took the initiative of the match. While it is true that everything could have changed in six minutes, when Abde missed a clear goal between the sticks, it was also true that Valencia deserved more.
At 11 minutes there was a penalty from Ruibal to Danjuma. Valles, who returned to the goal for Pau López, made a save on Pepelu’s shot. But Valencia dominated, with Ugrinic and Danjuma in tune, well placed in defense. So much so that Rioja, with a green and white heart, shot into the net after a good drop shot by Beltrán. Betis’ defense was bad, as Copete was innocent when he stepped on Ruibal in the area. They tied it with a penalty and the next few minutes of the first half passed between Betis’ ineffectiveness against a well-established Valencia. And all this seasoned with the bad refereeing of Sánchez Martínez. A referee with total guarantees, but who did not have his best day in La Cartuja. In the very dense Betis, Roca, Altimira and Abde barely combined. Betis missed Fornals.
Fornals himself entered the second half, reserved in the face of so many games in a row in a busy schedule. Valencia had a great chance in the 49th minute, but between Bartra and goalkeeper Valles, who had a great game, they saved the 1-2 scoreline. Valencia seemed superior, but they lacked the courage and confidence of the team at the top to go for the win. Betis did not reach the rival goal, lost in the inconsequentiality of the pass to the foot, as predictable as it was useless. , who made a great play after a great pass from Roca. The ball went into the side netting after leaving Cömert on the ground. But the definitive action came in the 88th minute. With Valencia playing in the opposite field, Deossa made a huge change of pace on the right wing. Nobody fouled him and his cross into the area was scored by Fornals, with some luck after a rebound.
La Cartuja broke out and Betis held the score at 2-1. A lot of merit for a team plagued by casualties, orphaned by players like Lo Celso, Amrabat or Isco, which is sustained thanks to the work of Pellegrini and his players. And against Valencia, due to the lack of forcefulness of a rival who was unable to secure, at least, a draw that they had in their hands.
“Fornals has taken a step forward and I already knew him from his time at West Ham. His goal helped us win a game in which we lacked creativity. I am very happy with the effort of my players,” clarified Manuel Pellegrini. “We approached the game very well and it ended in a tie. It was decided on a specific action that we did not know how to defend,” said Carlos Corberán, Valencia’s coach, for his part.
