Betis and Rayo played a high-paced, relentless match, played on a knife’s edge by two teams that sought the rival goal with their weapons. The locals with the quality of Lo Celso and Isco, the visitors with their great speed. Isco scored a penalty on his return as a starter seven months after his injury and Isi did it with a great shot. Betis deserved more on occasions, but they found themselves with a splendid Batalla, which frustrated Vitor Roque and Juanmi. De Frutos also had it, alone, in the 91st minute. The result was a final tie that rewarded Rayo’s resistance and punished Betis’ lack of aim, which did not take advantage of Lo Celso’s passing festival in the second half. The Argentine left Vitor Roque, Juanmi and Bakambu ahead with three details of tremendous quality. They were all wasted.
1
Fran Vieites, Youssouf Sabaly (Aitor Ruibal, min. 74), Romain Perraud, Diego Llorente, Marc Bartra, Giovani Lo Celso, Sergi Altimira (Assane Diao, min. 66), Abde Ezzalzouli (Juanmi, min. 80), Isco ( Pablo Fornals, min. 65), Johnny Cardoso and Vitor Roque (Cédric Bakambu, min. 81)
1
Augusto Batalla, Florian Lejeune, Andrei Ratiu, Pep Chavarría, Aridane Hernández, Adri Embarba (Alfonso Espino, min. 80), Isi Palazón (Óscar Trejo, min. 80), Unai López (Óscar Valentín, min. 65), Álvaro García (Jorge de Frutos, min. 45), Pathé Ciss and Randy Nteka (Sergio Camello, min. 65)
Goals
1-0 min. 36: Isco Alarcón. 1-1 min. 50: Isi
Referee Victor García Verdura
yellow cards
Pathé Ciss (min. 26), Álvaro García (min. 35), Isi (min. 80), Luis Espino (min. 93)
Manuel Pellegrini was finally able to fulfill one of his dreams. Place Lo Celso and Isco together, their two most quality players. The alignment of these two talented footballers forced a modification of the system, with the Argentine attached to the right wing and Isco as the second striker. A new tactical order to face Rayo, a team that plays with great intensity, with its players willing to fight any ball with great speed. Betis came out bossy, with Isco offering a great level. Batalla intervened in two actions against Vitor Roque and Cardoso. The goalkeeper already warned Betis of what awaited him.
The best example of Andalusian dominance was the four corner kicks taken in 10 minutes. After the initial impetus of Betis, Rayo recomposed itself. Lo Celso became overwhelmed in the band and the Andalusian team lost continuity. He was saved by a millimeter offside by Embarba in the 31st minute. With Abde failing, the goal came, however, in a good offensive action by the green and whites. Sabaly passed back in the area and Vitor Roque cut back against Álvaro who could not stop himself. Isco, a starter for Betis seven months after his injury, scored from a penalty after tricking Batalla. It was the 37th minute and Rayo, always feisty, suffered the blow, as well as the injury to the fast Álvaro on the stroke of half-time.
Rayo never left the game. He also knew how to take advantage of a mistake in Perraud’s release of the ball to tie the game. Isi did very well, who stole the ball and hit it flat, impossible for Vieites. Pellegrini took Isco off the field at the hour mark. Previously, the man from Malaga had assisted Vitor Roque with a backheel, who threw the ball wide. Lo Celso then occupied the midfield position and his football emerged considerably. The Argentine left Vitor Roque alone, who could not overcome Batalla in the advantage. Bakambu and Juanmi, Pellegrini’s replacements for the failed Vitor Roque and Abde, did not do so either. Betis deserved more for chances, without a doubt, but Rayo could also have won in a play in the 91st minute, when De Frutos missed a goal called in the Betis area. With the Andalusians overturned, the tie was unbreakable.
“We cannot be happy with this point at home after missing as many chances as we have had. It has already happened to us in previous games throughout this season. We would have more points, but we didn’t convert the chances. They arrived shortly and are a good team. Now there is the bitter taste of losing two points having been able to win,” said Manuel Pellegrini, the Betis coach.
