Betis needed up to 101 minutes to end Osasuna’s streak at El Sadar, where they had not lost all season (one draw and three wins in a row). As usually happens in football, it was Chimy Ávila, a former Osasuna player, who gave the victory to the Andalusian team, better in the first stages of the match and with more skill in the final stretch, when they achieved 1-2 after of Torró’s goal. Betis played with great intensity and even overcame Natan’s expulsion in the final minutes. Osasuna tried in every way, although it lacked effectiveness. Manuel Pellegrini’s Betis rose again after arriving in Pamplona with numerous casualties and two consecutive defeats. The Andalusians showed a broad squad and deservedly took the points. Also with a lot of suffering because it is not easy to win in a field like El Sadar.
1
Sergio Herrera, Jesús Areso, Enzo Boyomo, Abel Bretones, Alejandro Catena, Pablo Ibáñez (Raúl García, min. 76), Lucas Torró (Moi Gómez, min. 87), Aimar Oroz (Rubén Peña, min. 86), Ante Budimir , Bryan Zaragoza (José Arnáiz, min. 87) and Rubén García (Jon Moncayola, min. 66)
2
Rui Silva, Marc Bartra (Natan, min. 87), Romain Perraud, Héctor Bellerín, Diego Llorente, Johnny Cardoso, Sergi Altimira (Iker Losada, min. 67), Pablo Fornals (Ricardo Rodríguez, min. 95), Aitor Ruibal ( Mateo Flores, min. 67), Cédric Bakambu (Abde Ezzalzouli, min. 59) and Vitor Roque (Chimy Ávila, min. 45)
Goals
0-1 min. 6: Vitor Roque. 1-1 min. 58: Lucas Torró. 1-2 min. 72: Chimy Ávila
Referee Alejandro Muñiz Ruiz
Flavien-Enzo Boyomos (min. 71), Fornals (min. 79), Moi Gómez (min. 97)
red cards
Souza (min. 94)
Hurt by the defeats against Legia and, especially, against Sevilla in the derby, Betis appeared in Pamplona with determination, verticality and football. It didn’t matter that Lo Celso, their leader, was not there. The rest of the teammates conspired to make their star forget. A team where Fornals became the perfect passer and where the green and white team easily beat an Osasuna team surprised by the Andalusian determination. Vitor Roque scored in the seventh minute after a great combination between Fornals and Aitor Ruibal. A much more daring Betis, with a system of two forwards, Bakambu and Vitor, used for the first time by Pellegrini. Betis scored a goal and could have scored a few more, but Catena saved a back-heel shot from Vitor Roque and Herrera made the save of the afternoon for Bellerín.
Osasuna responded after the initial shock. In a match without control, back and forth, Aimar Oroz and Bryan Zaragoza did their thing so that Osasuna had a chance to tie. The class of these two footballers translated into two very dangerous shots. One from Ibáñez that went out and another from Budimir that Rui Silva saved. The match, great, did not grant any truce.
Vitor Roque was left on the bench due to an overload in his calves and Betis noticed it. Osasuna pressed and achieved the tie in a set piece. Torró scored at the far post almost at will. Curiously, Vicente Moreno’s team stopped. He took a step back and Betis recovered with Pellegrini’s changes. It was Chimy Ávila who scored the second goal after a good strategic action by the green and white. Herrera rejected Bartra’s shot and Ávila, ready, scored. And he celebrated it with enthusiasm despite his status as a former Osasuna player. Then Betis had to resist the siege of a Navarrese team that was too hasty. The Andalusians won in a duel with little control. Up to 30 shots were made by both teams (19 Osasuna and 11 Betis).
