Betis beat Real Valladolid 2-1 and settles in the European positions. It was not easy for them to win against a combative and brave Pucelano team that lacked the aim to capture their good match at the Benito Villamarín on the scoreboard but that threatened until the end.
After an early goal from Juanmi assisted by Canales in the first minute, Valladolid gave a pass forward and equalized after half an hour through Canadian Cyle Larin. The Béticos responded by taking the lead again in added time in the first half with a penalty converted by Canales.
In the second half, the Castilians searched hard for an equalizer but without success. In a duel between teams with different aspirations but with the shared challenge of winning to establish themselves in European positions and move away from relegation, respectively, Betis and Valladolid came to the clash with the ambition to continue adding, especially the Betis, after taking only 6 of the last 15 points despite their last win in Almería (2-3).
Meanwhile, José Rojo ‘Pacheta’s Valladolid, in a much more delicate position as they are fleeing the danger zone (4 points from relegation), wanted to continue their good run of the last three games, with their goal to zero and 7 points out of 9 possible, and for this he only introduced a change: the Canadian Cyle Larin for the ex-verdiblanco Sergio León.
The Betic coach, the Chilean Manuel Pellegrini, renewed his eleven with six changes by giving the first title to the Canarian Ayoze Pérez, instead of the injured Borja Iglesias, lining up his compatriot Claudio Bravo in goal and the center-back Víctor Ruiz, and recovering the suspended Luiz Felipe, William Carvalho and Nabil Fekir, to the detriment of Rui Silva, the Argentine Pezzella, Édgar, the Mexican Guardado and the injured Rodri.
Valladolid, who never gave up, desperately sought an equalizer, but Larin and Monchi found Luiz Felipe and Bravo, and in the end they left Seville empty-handed.
2 – Betis: Claudio Bravo; Sabaly, Louis Philip, Victor Ruiz, Abner (Miranda, m.46); Guido Rodriguez (Edgar, m.90), William Carvalho; Channels (Louis Henry, m.46), Fekir, John (Willian Joseph, m.81); Ayoze (Joachim, m.81).
1 – Valladolid: Jordi Masip (Aceves, m.78); Luis Pérez, Martin Hongla, Javi Sánchez (Aguado, m.46), Lucas Olaza; Monchu, Kike Pérez (Iván Sánchez, m.71); Gonzalo Plata, Óscar Plano (Sergio León, m.80), Darwin Machís (El Yamiq, m.46); Larin.
Goles: 1-0, M.2: Juanmi. 1-1, M.30: Larin. 2-1, M.49 : Canales, de penalty.
Referee: Antonio Miguel Matthew Lahoz (C. Valenciano). He warned locals Abner (m.12), Guido Rodriguez (m.77) and Édgar (m.90), and visitors Javi Sanchez (m.5), Aguado (m.55), Luis Perez (m.79). ) and Hongla (m.90).
