Betis suffers against Valladolid but maintains its European place

Betis beat Real Valladolid 2-1 and settles in the European positions after a game in which he suffered to add the three points against a combative and brave team from Pucelanoalthough he lacked aim to capture his good match at the Benito Villamarín on the scoreboard.

After an early both Juanmithanks to a magnificent service from Canales when he only had 1 minute and 19 seconds left in the game, Valladolid gave a pass forward and tied after half an hour of play through the Canadian Cyle Larin, although the béticos went ahead again in the added time of the first half with a penalty converted by the Santander. In the second, the visitors searched hard for an equalizer, without success.

In a duel between teams with different aspirations, but with the shared challenge of win for settle in European positions and stay away from relegation, respectively, Betis and Valladolid came into the clash with the ambition to continue adding, especially the béticos, after taking only 6 of the last 15 points despite their last victory 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 give continuity to his good run of the last three gameswith his goal at zero and 7 points out of 9 possible, and for this he only introduced one 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 Ayoze Pérez from the Canary Islands, instead of the injured Borja Iglesias, aligning 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.

Betis came out with a lot of rhythm and intensity, and soon found its reward with an early goal from Juanmi Jiménez, who, when he was only 1 minute and 19 seconds ahead, made it 1-0 by taking advantage of a magnificent pass through the gap from Canales, the best of his team until, due to discomfort, he was replaced at half-time by the Brazilian Luiz Henrique.

It’s not a pass, it’s a work of art

How he leaked the ball @SergioCanales for the goal of @juanmi9395 #LaLigaEnDAZN pic.twitter.com/JXud09YnOp

— DAZN Spain (@DAZN_ES) February 18, 2023

The Sevillian group He continued strong until the equator of the first half, with a chance by Canales, who put pressure on a bad assignment to Masip in an action where, after intercepting his rebound, the ball hit the post strain after 8 minutes. Fekir also looked for the goal with a left-footed shot that the white-and-violet goalkeeper cleared well after a quarter of an hour.

However, the clash changed when a brave Valladolid took a step forward and sought vertical football and counters. Their midfield began to work and with the incursions of the Ecuadorian Gonzalo Plata and, to a lesser extent, the Venezuelan Darwin Machís, they looked for the active Larin. The Canadian missed a sung goal in minute 24, when, alone, he headed out a cross from Óscar Plano, but he did not forgive after half an hour when he tied with a cross shot from a pass from Kike Pérez.

Those of Pacheta continued displaying a good game, although In the final stretch, Betis took oil from an individual action by Ayoze, who left several opponents and, already inside the area, Hongla entered him and the referee awarded a penalty that Canales, by deceiving Masip, made it 2-1 in the fourth minute of extension before the break.

At the restart, with changes in both teams when Luiz Henrique and Miranda entered for Canales and the Brazilian Abner in the locals, and Aguado and the Moroccan El Yamiq for Javi Sánchez and Machís in the visitors, the setting hardly changed, although Betis left again with more verve and was able to extend his lead, but Luiz Henrique ran into a save from Masip.

Fekir also tried, quite subdued in general on his return after suspension, in a foul that Masip stopped, who, twelve minutes from the end, had to be replaced due to injury by youth squad Álvaro Aceves, who made his debut in the First Division. Monchu was able to equalize with another direct free kick in minute 64, but he crashed the ball into the post, near the crosshead.

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It was the best option for a Valladolid team that played a good game, but lacked efficiency despite making Betis suffer two other times through Fekir, in an excessively crossed shot, and again from Luiz Henrique, but Masip cleared his attempt and between Juanmi and defender Luis Pérez they sent the ball to the post.

Valladolid, who never gave up, desperately sought a tie, but Larin and Monchi met Luiz Felipe and Bravoand in the end he left Seville empty.