Deossa starts on the wing with that strength of Marmato, an area known for its gold mines. This is what Betis was looking for with this kid when they brought him in in the summer. No one can throw the Colombian away when he advances. He leaves with space, he lifts … head and see Fornals. There goes the ball. He stops it, shoots, the rebound comes back to him. It’s a penalty but better. La Cartuja is already standing since the Deossa race and is not going to sit down. He wants to jump for joy. It is the 89th minute and perhaps the most complex game of the season. Sandwiched between two key quotes. The one on Thursday against Feyenoord is surpassed by the one on the following Thursday against Atlético. We return to Fornals. Time stops. Everyone sees the goal. And the player from Castellón, who came on in the second half because he was feeling uncomfortable, rewarded the staff’s faith. To the network. To run towards the corner of Gol Sur and reach Valles, another of the heroes of the match with his penalty saved against Pepelu in the first half. Because the duel had become very complicated with Rioja’s goal, with the losses, with the wear and tear, with the pressure. But there is Betis. Fifth in this series. Entering February through the front door and with its crazy happy people.
It is a competitive leap for this team. With so much quality subtracted by absences but with enough courage and maturity to speak personally to anyone. Valencia put it in Chinese but there were interpreters. Chimy scored from a penalty in another of those stories of turning life around. The Argentine is already a starter waiting for Cucho and whoever the market wants. Bakambu did not play at all. The stands ended up chanting for the players and they responded. Now Thursday’s battle against Atlético remains. Fifth in the table because Espanyol is now normal again. And Betis takes the lead. It is made super now that you need it and it already leaves everyone satisfied. Now he is where he should and wants to be.
In the first part everything happens. If Betis has already been losing quality in tatters due to the losses of Isco and Lo Celso, the fact that Fornals did not start made the team a group of will and speed but lacking that salt that quality gives. Deossa occupies that position and very soon it is seen that he is not for it. He occupies Antony’s areas, he positions himself much more as a forward, leading the team to a 4-4-2, he needs space for his controls and shots… It is not easy to play there, not easy at all. Of course, the Colombian participated in the germ of a play that represented the first and clearest chance, apart from the goals, of the match. Play with Altimira and Antony so that the latter’s pass reaches Abde, who shoots wide into an empty goal in the middle of a fight with Foulquier. This is what Betis is looking for, calm and electricity.
But Valencia also has its plan and eats away at the Betic midfield with superiority and with quick openings to the wings, where Rioja and Danjuma do damage. The first sees how Llorente saves a shot of his. The duel is a street runner and it is evidenced by the most notable plays. Penalty from Aitor to Danjuma, much protested. Monumental blow to Sánchez Martínez. Valles resolves injustice. It is celebrated like a goal, everyone hugging the goalkeeper, who held his own to deflect Pepelu’s shot. But the instability continues and Valencia comes and goes until they find Rioja on a rebound and his shot goes softly to the side. The Cabecense does not celebrate it, Betic heart. He already scored against the Verdiblancos in Mestalla in the first round. What a goal. Just two years ago he was able to join the squad. Just when Chimy, Bakambu and Fornals.
The duel continues in its whirlwind and now it is Aitor who receives a penalty after a struggle with Copete. Pisotón and Sánchez Martínez don’t think about it. Maximum penalty again, although it is also discussed. Chimy quickly catches the ball, taking advantage of the fact that the usual officials are not there. Isco, Cucho, Lo Celso, Fornals, Bakambu… It’s the Argentine’s turn, who hits him very hard at mid-height and makes the Cartuja explode. It’s the 23rd minute and Llorente goes to the bench to ask for instructions. The center backs see that there is a fissure on the right and that the midfielders have to get very depressed due to the accumulation. Deossa makes an exuberant start and is stopped for a foul but the referee forgives the yellow, as he did a short time later with Gayá when Antony came out on the wing.
The green and white move a lot but lose their position even more. Llorente recovers sensations from above and in a counterattack devised by Chimy Abde he reaches the baseline for a choral oops. The duel is tied at half-time and everyone is looking to see if someone can give it that touch of creativity that the game needs, that change of pace, of direction, of direction so that the points stay at home. And that’s where Fornals comes in instead of Altimira for the second half. Deossa is delayed to its natural site. When Fidalgo arrives he will no longer have to play further forward.
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Real Betis
Álvaro Valles; Aitor, Bartra, Llorente (Valentín, m. 90), Ricardo; Marc Roca, Altimira (Fornals, m. 46); Antony (Ortiz, m. 90), Deossa, Abde; y Chimy Ávila (Pablo García, m. 67). -
Valencia CF
Dimitrievski; Foulquier, Copete (Tárrega, m. 80), Cömert, Gayà; Rioja (Diego López, m. 77), Pepelu (Santamaría, m. 71), Ugrinic; Danjuma, Lucas Beltrán (Almeida, m. 71) and Hugo Duro (Sadiq, m. 71). -
Goals
0-1, m. 20: Rioja. 1-1, m. 22: Chimy Avila, of penalty. 2-1, m. 89: Ovens. -
Arbitrator
Sánchez Martínez (Murciano Committee). He cautioned Cömert, Pepelu, Foulquier.
Antony challenges himself with Gayá. Sparks will fly there. Bartra and the entire defense, including Antony, dive to cover Rioja and Valles saves another shot in a rebounding action with a lot of danger from Valencia. The duel continues on the wire for both. In the next corner, more of the same. The public does not want anxiety, but certainty. Cömert receives the first yellow for a foul on Abde on the wing. And Pepelu, the second when he blocks Abde just before the winger enters the area in a very dangerous action. Deossa shoots and hits the defensive cloud. Chimy gets everyone on their feet fighting for a high ball and causing a corner. The Argentine comes up, cheering the stands. Their situation has changed and Betis, provisionally without nine, appreciates it.
Danjuma drives Bartra and Aitor crazy. Pellegrini looks for a reaction by removing Chimy and putting Pablo García up front. Bakambu does warm up but remains on the bench. But Betis lacks ideas. Deossa and Bartra demonstrate this with two long shots that go wide. Corberán makes a triple change to also refresh his vanguard. Nothing comes out of Betis in attack in this section and the atmosphere cools down. Rioja leaves the field applauded by a crowd that sees him as a Betic at heart despite the fact that both the Valencian and professional scored.
Abde goes alone on one of his electric races. Marc Roca sees him and the Moroccan’s control is excellent. He stands up, cuts the defender and his shot goes into the side of the net. Preference fans chant a goal because of the optical effect but it went out. A great missed opportunity. There Copete is injured and the visiting substitutions run out. Ten minutes left. Fornals reaches the baseline but his back pass has no finisher. Betis is looking for the formula to make the game theirs in the already decisive section. Pablo narrowly misses a long ball.
And the goal play arrives. Deossa’s enormous start down the right wing, his impressive strength to go and his back pass to Fornals, who shoots, grabs the rebound and hits a pass into the net to make it 2-1. The Charterhouse goes crazy. Hey, musho Betis, hey. Crazy. Crazy. The triumph is in the pocket. Be that as it may. It doesn’t matter the form, what mattered was the substance. And that’s what this team is also capable of. With a start, with an arrival, with strength, with desire and with the enthusiasm of people who want more, who do not intend to stay here. It is the year to achieve something, to go far and Betis is on that path. Now, for Atlético.
