Diego Villares secured a dramatic 1-1 draw for Deportivo de La Coruña against Real Betis at Riazor, heading home an equalizer in the 87th minute to halt the visitors’ winning momentum. The crucial late strike arrived after Betis had controlled large stretches of the fixture, initially taking the lead through a powerful first-half effort from Colombian forward Cucho Hernández.
Early Breakthrough and Betis Control
Real Betis began the match with sharp, associative play designed to dismantle a Deportivo side that struggled with early defensive errors. According to match reports, young Polish central defender Bright Ede picked up a yellow card right after kickoff following a defensive miscue, while Deportivo goalkeeper Leo Román soon had to deny an acrobatic chilena attempt from Marc Bartra. Despite the early pressure, Betis encountered personnel setbacks before the break. Bartra requested a substitution due to injury in the 12th minute and was replaced by Valentín Gómez, while midfielder Marc Casadó also exited with an injury past the half-hour mark, making way for eventual match-saving goalscorer Diego Villares.
Cucho Hernández Breaks the Deadlock
Deportivo managed very little attacking threat during the opening 45 minutes, with wingers David Mella and Nsongo Bil largely contained. The hosts’ resistance cracked following a sequence involving a wayward clearance from Leo Román and a subsequent turnover by Mario Soriano against Deossa. Cucho Hernández capitalized on the mistake, driving a powerful shot from the edge of the area past Román to give Betis the advantage. Shortly after scoring, Hernández became the center of a VAR review when he struck Ximo Navarro with the sole of his boot; referee César Soto Grado reviewed the incident and determined it warranted a yellow card rather than a dismissal.
Second-Half Shifts and Valles Heroics
Deportivo emerged from halftime transformed, with Mario Soriano taking control of the match’s tempo. The home side created more danger in the opening five minutes of the second period than they did throughout the entire first half. In the 60th minute, Soriano unlocked the Betis defense with a precise through ball to David Mella, whose close-range effort was stopped by goalkeeper Álvaro Valles. Seeking stability, Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini introduced Isco and Bernal to regain midfield control. The tactical tweak paid immediate dividends as Betis weathered the storm and nearly doubled their lead when a long ball to Abde sparked a double chance that saw Román deny Abde and Ede clear a follow-up shot from Hernández off the line. Natan also came close for Betis, hitting the crossbar with a header.
Villares Capitalizes Late
Valles anchored the Betis defense through sustained late pressure, but his resistance finally broke in the 87th minute. Italian full-back Quagliata delivered an accurate cross into the area, allowing team captain Diego Villares to charge forward from deep and steer a firm header past the goalkeeper to salvage a vital point for the hosts.
