Alavés, thanks to their great physical display, stopped a Betis team that missed Isco greatly. Without his leadership, the Betic team is distressed, no matter how much Fekir tries to take command, still far from his best form. Even more so, the new signings like Fornals, Ávila and Bakambu provide details of their quality. Only with those details and without really pushing in a rather dull first half, Betis might not withstand a good Alavés. A team that is deployed with great physical intensity and that handles pressure very well. Another issue is his game in attack, where he showed too many inaccuracies in passing. Even so, Alavés enjoyed a couple of very dangerous approaches in the final stretch of the match. As an example, Rui Silva’s stop on Benavidez in the 91st minute. The point frustrates Betis’s option to recover the European sixth place, won by Real Sociedad following their victory once morest Mallorca. Alavés, for its part, is breathing fully 11 points away from relegation.
0
Rui Silva, Sokratis, Hector Bellerin, Pezzella, Juan Miranda, Johnny, Abde (Rodri, 74th minute), Fekir, Fornals, Marc Roca (Bakambu, 66th minute) and Chimy Avila (Willian Jose, 74th minute)
0
Sivera, Abdel Abqar, Rubén Duarte, Rafa Marín, Gorosabel, Ander Guevara, Antonio Blanco, Alex Sola (Javi López, min. 88), Luis Rioja (Carlos Vicente, min. 67), Guridi (Carlos Benavidez, min. 80) and Samu Omorodion
Goals
Referee Mateo Busquets Ferrer
Yellow cards Abde (min. 30), Rafa Marín (min. 36), Marc Roca (min. 46), Sokratis (min. 71), Abdel Abqar (min. 72), Pezzella (min. 79) y Juan Miranda (min. 82)
Alavés has taken the measure of Betis. He eliminated them from the Copa del Rey and showed from the first minute of the duel at Villamarín that the Betis were not going to have a peaceful night. Luis García’s team defended itself with great order once morest a Betis team that tends to speculate too much in its game. The Andalusians lack speed and overflow, something that is not very well understood when players like Fornals, Abde, Fekir or Chimy Ávila, who made his debut as a starter following his signing in the winter market by Betis, come together on the field. .
With a flat rhythm, without entering from the wings and with two midfielders, Cardoso and Roca, too static, it is very difficult to surprise teams as organized as Alavés. The Basque team failed to create danger in attack, with Samu very well defended by Pezzella. Betis, too thick, did not create any danger in a soporific first act either. Only one shot by Abde caused Sivera some concern.
Betis improved in the second half. Finally his players dared to take a forward pass and change pace. Sivera took a ball under the sticks from Miranda and Gorosabel deflected a ball in the small area following a shot from Cardoso. Ávila enabled his teammate to let the ball pass under her legs in a high-quality action.
Alavés regrouped following the two green and white chances. He had courage to approach the Betic goal as Pellegrini put one striker following another. Bakambu almost made it 1-0. Also the visitor Benavidez. The tie at zero reigned in a match that got lively in the second half, but lacked the flavor of the goal. At Betis, due to lack of legs. At Alavés, due to lack of talent.
“Bakambu can give us many things. We will seek revenge on Thursday in Zagreb in the Conference. We need more precision when finalizing. They are good technically and the result favors them,” said Pellegrini. “I hope we always have all the players. We are not going to discuss the importance that Isco has in this team, but we are a group. These are moments that happen in every season. The ball doesn’t want to go in at the moment. I can’t criticize the team too much today,” highlighted the green and white coach. “It is a good point in a complicated field. We are improving away from home,” he indicated, for his part. Luis García Plaza.
