REAL BETIS SCORES LATE TO DRAW 2-2 WITH BARCELONA
Real Betis pulled off a stunning comeback against Barcelona, securing a 2-2 draw at the Estadio Benito Villamarin. The match saw Barcelona take the lead early on, thanks to Robert Lewandowski’s 44th-minute goal, his 16th La Liga goal of the season.
However, Real Betis fought back in the second half, with Giovani Lo Celso scoring a penalty in the 57th minute after Vitor Roque was brought down in the box. The penalty was expertly taken by Lo Celso, who sent the goalkeeper the wrong way.
Barcelona thought they had won the game when Ferran Torres scored in the 89th minute, but Real Betis had other plans. In the 94th minute, substitute Assane Diao scored a dramatic late equalizer, finding the back of the net with a lovely flick that went through the legs of Inigo Martinez and past Inaki Pena.
This draw marked a frustrating result for Barcelona, who were forced to settle for a point despite being up until the final minute. Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick was even sent off for dissent, as he protested the referee’s decision to award Real Betis a free kick in the dying minutes of the game.
“We’re disappointed with the result, but we have to give credit to Real Betis for their fight and determination,” said Flick. “We thought we had won the game, but we couldn’t hold on. We’ll have to regroup and focus on our next match.”
Real Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini was delighted with the result, saying, “We showed great character and spirit to come back from a goal down. We deserved the point, and we’re happy with the result.”
MATCH STATISTICS
- Possession: Barcelona 58%, Real Betis 42%
- Shots on target: Barcelona 10, Real Betis 6
- Corners: Barcelona 7, Real Betis 4
- Fouls: Barcelona 14, Real Betis 16
- Yellow cards: Barcelona 3, Real Betis 4
- Red cards: Barcelona 1 (Hansi Flick)
MATCH REACTION
The draw was met with mixed reactions from the fans, with some feeling that Barcelona should have won the game, while others were pleased with the point. Real Betis fans, on the other hand, were ecstatic with the result, celebrating the late equalizer with jubilation.
The result leaves Barcelona in second place in the La Liga table, while Real Betis remains in seventh place. Both teams will be looking to bounce back from this result in their next match.
