Real Betis Balompié secured a key three points on Saturday by coming from behind to win 1-2 at Villarreal's Estadio de la Cerámica. Goals from Cucho Hernández and Natan in the first half overturned an early strike from Gerard Moreno, solidifying the Verdiblancos in third place in the La Liga table with 12 points.
The game started with home side dominance and Villarreal found the net in the 29th minute through Gerard Moreno. The yellow submarine's striker had three other goals ruled out for offside, underlining the early pressure on the Betis defence. However, Betis responded before the break. In the 39th minute, Cucho Hernández pounced on a rebound from goalkeeper Gulacsi to equalise. Just four minutes later, Natan powered a header in at the far post from an Isco corner to complete the turnaround. The team had a chance to extend the lead, but a shot from Abde was saved by Gulacsi.
After the interval, Villarreal pushed forward for an equaliser but lacked precision in front of goal. Fornals missed a clear chance in the 68th minute following a good run from Deossa. Betis, meanwhile, looked to exploit spaces on the counter, with Cucho Hernández testing the keeper again in the 55th minute. The Andalusian side managed the closing stages professionally to seal their third consecutive league win.
This victory gives Real Betis a record of four wins and just one loss from their opening five matches. The team now sits just three points behind leaders Barcelona. Their next fixture is at home to Getafe, a side currently in 14th place. Fans can check the full schedule on our fixtures page and track the team's progress in the standings.
Manager Manuel Pellegrini once again relied on the squad that has delivered these results, keeping Álvaro Fidalgo on the bench. Forward Rodrigo Riquelme, the team's top scorer this season with two goals, was instrumental in the build-up play. With this win, Betis heads into next week with confidence, which includes the league match and preparations for the next stage of the Copa del Rey.
Read the full report at Record MX
