LaLiga roundup: Betis tighten their grip on sixth with win in Bilbao, Rayo beat Valladolid
Athletic Bilbao 0 Real Betis 1
Willian Jose’s early strike was enough to widen the gap between Real Betis and Athletic Bilbao in the race for European football next season as Manuel Pellegrini’s side put their patchy form behind them with a vital 1-0 win.
Betis came into this clash low on confidence, only winning one of their six previous matches, with their Europa League ambitions seemingly slipping away but as early as the fifth minute at a bouncing San Mames, they took the lead.
Bilbao’s backup centre back pairing didn’t cover themselves in glory as they failed to clear a long throw into the box and Willian Jose, making only his fourth start in LaLiga this season, reacted quickest and finished well with an acrobatic scissor kick.
Pellegrini’s men almost nicked another just before half-time when Paul Akouokou made a darting near-post run to meet a whipped corner but the Ivorian’s glancing header came back off the bar before falling to safety.
The Basque outfit’s eagerness to turn the tide at San Mames and reignite their quest for European football was no more evident than when moments later Athletic thought they had a penalty. The referee adjudged Juan Miranda to have handled the ball and gave a spot-kick but VAR intervened to rule it had hit the Spanish full-back’s shoulder instead.
The second half was largely one-way traffic, with Ernesto Valverde's men pressing on in search of an equaliser. Oihan Sancet was at the heart of their danger, going closest with a looping volley that cannoned back off the bar with sprawling goalkeeper Claudio Bravo well beaten.
Inaki Williams also threatened, with his powerful effort from inside the area beaten away by Betis' Chilean shot-stopper, but Bilbao's charge would be halted in stoppage time when Daniel Vivian was sent off for a poor challenge that summed up a frustrating evening for the Lions.
Athletic haven’t qualified for Europe since 2016/17, the last time Valverde was in charge, and falling to Betis at home, albeit by a narrow margin, all but resigns them to another season without continental football.
Betis closed the gap to fifth-placed Villarreal to just two points, as their first away league win since February was also their maiden victory at the San Mames.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Paul Akouokou (Real Betis)
Rayo Vallecano 2 Valladolid 1
Real Valladolid remain embroiled in the La Liga relegation scrap after falling to a 2-1 defeat away to Rayo Vallecano. The hosts netted twice after the break to consign Paulo Pezzolano’s side to their third straight defeat, which means they sit just one point above the bottom three.
The visitors, whose need for points was somewhat greater given their league position, made a bright start as Monchu had a free-kick saved, while Sergio Escudero flashed a header just wide. At the other end, Isa Palazon stung the fingertips of Jordi Masip with a swerving shot from distance that was beaten away.
That chance seemed to swing the momentum Vallecano’s way, and only a superb stop prevented Alvaro Garcia from netting a spectacular opener, as he pivoted in the box before seeing a hooked effort clawed away. Shortly afterwards, Abdul Mumin’s overhead kick went narrowly over the bar in what proved to be the final real opening of the half.
Andoni Iraola’s side didn’t have to wait too long to break the deadlock though, taking the lead when Raul de Tomas headed Garcia’s pinpoint cross into the far corner just two minutes after the break.
Cyle Larin nearly equalised immediately, seeing a couple of shots saved from inside the area, but that would be as close as Valladolid came to getting anything out of the game.
Indeed, they found themselves 2-0 down with ten minutes left as Sergio Camello converted from close range.
The visitors did pull one back through Sergio Leon’s clever near-post header, but there was to be no further late drama as they remain 16th in the table, while Vallecano, still eying European qualification, move on to 46 points, their highest league total since 2014/15.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Isi Palazon (Rayo Vallecano)
