If it was entertainment you are after, then this probably wasn’t the game for you in the opening stages, with both sides struggling to find any early momentum. Mallorca thought they had changed that when Vedat Muriqi fired home, but their joy was short-lived as the assistant referee’s flag, indicating an offside, swiftly ended their premature celebrations. Perhaps showing some signs of fatigue from their European exploits on Thursday, Betis offered precious little in front of their own fans despite knowing a handsome victory could see them climb into the top four.
Whatever Manuel Pellegrini said at HT clearly did the trick, though, as Betis came out with a renewed optimism that ultimately led to them opening the scoring. The goal itself came in perhaps fortuitous circumstances, with Youssouf Sabaly’s strike deflecting in off Borja Iglesias, though the Betis frontman’s deft flick may have been intentional. Mallorca’s response to falling behind was fairly muted, but that was probably to be expected from a side who had mustered just a single goal across their last five league outings on their travels prior to today.
As the game ebbed towards its conclusion, you could sense the desperation creeping into Mallorca’s play as they threw the kitchen sink at their opponents. That strategy did eventually bear some fruits for Mallorca, as their first real attempt since the first half came when Tino Kadewere flashed an effort across the face of goal with ten minutes to go.
However, that was as good as it got for Mallorca, who drew yet another blank on the road and , with them sitting just six points above the drop zone, they will be anxiously looking over their shoulder. As for Betis, they’ve provisionally moved level with fourth-placed Sociedad as they go in search of a first UEFA Champions League appearance since 2005/06.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Edgar González (Real Betis)
