A goal by Willian José, in the last minute of extra time, gave Betis a 1-2 victory at El Madrigal, after a hectic match, with numerous scoring chances in both areas, in which either of the two teams could win.
Both teams arrived at this league debut with many doubts after a bad preseason and yet they offered a great game. Betis, with a block of high pressure, recovered several dangerous balls although they were not able to put Villarreal in trouble, who had their most incisive man in Álex Baena, who after fifteen minutes scored a great volley goal from the spot penalty, which was annulled for a millimeter offside.
Pellegrini opted for Isco Alarcón from the start, despite the fact that the midfielder had not competed in an official match for nine months, and the man from Malaga did not disappoint, who was very participatory and with his mobility and last pass was decisive for his new team.
As the minutes passed, Betis took on a greater role in the game and exploited the partnership that Sabaly and Luiz Henrique created on the right wing. They warned after 18 minutes in a good combination between the two that a blurred Borja Iglesias failed to finish off at the near post, and almost immediately afterwards it was Isco who enabled the Brazilian to space, who cut his heel on the bottom line and yielded to the penalty spot where Ayoze defined with a placed low shot to increase the 0-1.
With Isco at the controls, Betis sought to expand their income. He was able to achieve it in a set play that Guido Rodríguez scored and was canceled for offside, and later after a great assist from Malaga to Ayoze, whose chopped shot he managed to deflect with Jorgensen’s mitt.
However, the last of the first act was for Villarreal after a header from Gerard that forced the goalkeeper Rui Silva to shine, allowing his team to leave at half-time with an advantage.
In the restart, the local team was more ambitious although they found a mine in the set pieces. Foyth warned with a shot to the post, whose rebound Sorloth did not know how to take advantage of, and shortly after it was the other central defender, Jorge Cuenca, who tied the game with a majestic header.
Pellegrini’s changes managed to balance a game that turned into a give and take, with arrivals from both sides, although it was Betis that generated the most danger in the final moments and in the last minute of the extension, a bad kick from Jorgensen’s door, accompanied by a poor defensive action by Villarreal, was taken advantage of by Willian José to score the final 1-2.
1. Villarreal: Jorgensen, Foyth, Cuenca, Mandi, Alberto Moreno (Pedraza, m.24); Comesaña (Capoue, m.57), Parejo, Terrats (Denis Suárez, m.83); Álex Baena, Gerard (Morales, d.83) and Sorloth.
2. Betis: Rui Silva, Abner, Luis Felipe, Pezzella, Sabaly; Guido Rodriguez (Akouokou, m.91), Marc Roca, Isco (Aitor Ruibal, m.71); Ayoze (Guardado, m.84), Luiz Henrique (Rodri, m.71), and Borja Iglesias (Willian Jose, m.46).
Goals: 0-1, m.20: Ayoze. 1-1, m.61: Basin. 1-2, m.94: Willian José.
Referee: Ortiz Arias (C. Madrid). He admonished Mandi for Villarreal, and Borja Iglesias, Guido and Luiz Felipe for Betis.
Incidents: Match corresponding to the first day of LaLiga played at the La Cerámica stadium before 17,825 spectators. A minute’s silence was observed in memory of the Villarreal members who died last season.
