Cucho Hernández has drawn level with Troy Parrott's goal tally, heating up the competition for the centre-forward role at Real Betis Balompié. The Colombian scored his second goal of the season in the 1-1 draw away to Deportivo La Coruña at Riazor last weekend.
The goal came in the 43rd minute from a Nelson Deossa assist, with home goalkeeper Leo Román unable to keep it out. This strike pulls Cucho even with the two goals Parrott has scored this campaign. The Irish summer signing had previously found the net against Real Madrid in La Liga and against Lille in the Champions League, delivering key points.
The departures of Cedric Bakambu and Chimy Ávila after last season left the striker position open. Now, both Cucho and Parrott are presenting strong options for the manager. The internal battle is seen as a positive sign for a team targeting Champions League football.
Betis head into the international break in a strong position. The Verdiblancos sit third in La Liga with 16 points from seven games, just five behind leaders Barcelona. Their run of four wins and a draw in the last five matches, including victories over Real Madrid and Villarreal, shows their good form.
Cucho's goal at Riazor mirrors his performance from the previous matchday, where he also scored the temporary equaliser away to Villarreal. On the wings, last season's productive partnership between Abde Ezzalzouli and Antony, who were among the team's top scorers, remains an offensive pillar.
Betis's next fixture is at home to Osasuna on October 11th. The Navarrese side currently sit 13th in the table. The schedule for upcoming games can be found in our fixtures section. With the forward line firing, the Champions League objective looks more attainable than ever.
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