La Liga
Real Betis Edge Getafe in Late Drama at La Cartuja
Abde Ezzalzouli's 45th-minute strike decided a tense La Liga clash in Seville as Getafe's Mario Martín Rielves saw red in stoppage time.
Real Betis kept Getafe at arm's length with a resolute defensive shape, holding on for a 1-0 victory at Estadio de La Cartuja after Abde Ezzalzouli's first-half strike proved decisive. The home side's compact 4-2-3-1 limited Getafe's counter threat, but the visitors grew frustrated as the clock ticked past 80 minutes without finding a way through.
At a glance
- Real Betis 1-0 Getafe, Regular Season - 6, La Liga
- Goal: Abde Ezzalzouli (45', assist Troy Parrott) for Real Betis
- Red card: Mario Martín Rielves (87') for Getafe; referee J. Sanchez
Match context
Betis coach M. Pellegrini lined his side up in a 4-2-3-1, content to let the tempo settle around midfield while asking the wide channels to stretch Getafe's back four. Getafe, deploying a 4-1-4-1 under Pepe Bordalás, sat deep and tried to spring forward through quick transitions, but the hosts' pressing trapped the visitors high up the pitch for long periods.
The deadlock came just before halftime. Troy Parrott collected possession in the half-spaces, drifted infield, and slipped a pass through to Abde Ezzalzouli, whose low finish into the bottom corner gave Betis a slender cushion heading into the break. The goal shifted momentum: Getafe, already frustrated by several bookings in the opening hour, sensed the need for urgency.
Tactical consequences
With three points on the board, Betis climbed clear of the early-season congestion that has characterised the middle third of La Liga this term. Their ability to protect a one-goal lead — limiting Getafe to speculative long balls and set pieces — will encourage Pellegrini's staff, even if the performance lacked the fluency typically associated with their attacking philosophy.
Getafe's afternoon unravelled in the final ten minutes. A cluster of yellow cards in the 70th and 74th minutes signalled mounting desperation, and Mario Martín Rielves's second booking in the 87th minute left the visitors with ten men for the closing minutes. The red card forces Pepe Bordalás into a defensive reshuffle, and the points gap they now face against the top half of the table looks steeper after a performance that offered little going forward.
The result also keeps Getafe tethered to the relegation conversation, where every dropped point carries weight. Betis, meanwhile, can build on a solid defensive showing, though questions will remain about whether their attack can create clearer openings against organised opposition.
Key takeaways
| Metric | Real Betis | Getafe |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 58% | 42% |
| Shots (on target) | 12 (5) | 8 (3) |
| Fouls committed | 11 | 16 |
| Yellow cards | 5 | 6 |
| Red cards | 0 | 1 |
- Betis held firm: a first-half goal and a disciplined shape in the second half preserved the clean sheet.
- Getafe's discipline frayed: four yellows and a red in the final quarter cost them structure and composure.
- Ezzalzouli delivered: the winger's clinical finish from Parrott's assist was the difference on a night when few chances fell.
- Referee J. Sanchez kept control: despite the late flashpoint, the officiating crew managed the escalating tension without major incident.
The points move Betis a step closer to mid-table stability, while Getafe must regroup quickly if they are to halt a slide that, after this display, looks increasingly concerning.