The match began with a full-on Betis who tried to prize the ball out of Málaga’s control with a defense on full alert and almost entirely in the centre of the pitch. As such, the Blue and Whites’ first line of attack could take advantage of an unchecked centre and wings. And so Málaga found their first two occasions with a pass from Monreal that Rondón couldn’t connect with, and then there was another great chance for Joaquín. For their part, Betis, thanks to a foul awarded in their favour got close Willy Caballero’s goal, but without causing too much danger and which then allowed Málaga to up the ante in attack.
As the minutes passed, Manuel Pellegrini’s team started taking serious control of the ball, even though the Betis defense was too dense, stopping clear chances by Molina that Willy Caballero saved without difficulty.
With half an hour down, a foul by Duda and a great personal move by Joaquín were the best opportunities that Málaga had, whilst Betis crept up slowly on the right wing, even though their best chance of scoring was on an involuntary rebound from Demichelis that Willy’s reflexes sharply dismissed.
The last five minutes clearly belonged to the visitors as Málaga controlled the ball and attack moves but only a pass by Toulalan that neither Rondon or Joaquín were able to complete, and a pass from Willy, were possible chances, meaning that the first half ended as a goalless draw.
The second 45 minutes began with more pace by both team. In scarcely two minutes the first real chances arrived for both Betis and Málaga, especially with a move between Pozuelo and Castro in Caballero’s area that ended with a high shot from Beñat.
Like the second half, the quality of the Málaga players was highlighted in the set pieces, with Joaquín ripping up the left wing for the malaguistas. And it was on this wing that the clearest opportunity came: a header by Rondón that Casto rejected with his feet on the goal line: the bético goalie saving his team a further two times after shots from both Santi Cazorla and Joaquín.
With the first quarter of an hour done, the first substitutions were made on both sides: Ezequiel for Beñat and Diego Buonanotte for Isco. This change it was like a breath of fresh air for Betis who started, again, to cause trouble around Willy’s goal, whilst Málaga looked to recover ball control as they had had at the beginning of the second half.
Unlike what had happened on the first half, Betis, like Málaga, increased the pace in the last 15 minutes, ending the majority of attack moves well away from the centre of the pitch. One of the moves that must be highlighted was the shot from Jesús Gamez which narrowly missed going in.
With Camacho and Seba Fernández on the pitch for Duda and Rondón respectively the last few minutes of the match passed into extra time without much joy, even though both teams had some clear chances in the added minutes.
In the end, it was a goalless draw between Real Betis Balompié and Málaga Club de Fútbol, so they shared points meaning that Málaga stay in sixth place with 17 points.
Match details:
Real Betis Balompié: Casto; Isidoro, Ustaritz, Dorado, Nacho; Rubén Castro, Iriney, Beñat (Ezequiel 57’), Cañas; Pozuelo (Matilla 82’) and Jorge Molina.
Málaga CF: Caballero; Gámez, Demichelis, Mathijsen, Monreal; Toulalan, Duda (Camacho 77’); Joaquín, Isco (Buonanotte 60’), Cazorla; Rondón
Goals:
No goals.
Referee:
Teixeira Vitienes, Fernando. Yellow card for Betis’ Isidoro and Iriney; as well as Málaga’s Duda.
Notes:
12th BBVA League match. It took place in the Benito Villarmarín stadium in Seville.
As the minutes passed, Manuel Pellegrini’s team started taking serious control of the ball, even though the Betis defense was too dense, stopping clear chances by Molina that Willy Caballero saved without difficulty.
With half an hour down, a foul by Duda and a great personal move by Joaquín were the best opportunities that Málaga had, whilst Betis crept up slowly on the right wing, even though their best chance of scoring was on an involuntary rebound from Demichelis that Willy’s reflexes sharply dismissed.
The last five minutes clearly belonged to the visitors as Málaga controlled the ball and attack moves but only a pass by Toulalan that neither Rondon or Joaquín were able to complete, and a pass from Willy, were possible chances, meaning that the first half ended as a goalless draw.
The second 45 minutes began with more pace by both team. In scarcely two minutes the first real chances arrived for both Betis and Málaga, especially with a move between Pozuelo and Castro in Caballero’s area that ended with a high shot from Beñat.
Like the second half, the quality of the Málaga players was highlighted in the set pieces, with Joaquín ripping up the left wing for the malaguistas. And it was on this wing that the clearest opportunity came: a header by Rondón that Casto rejected with his feet on the goal line: the bético goalie saving his team a further two times after shots from both Santi Cazorla and Joaquín.
With the first quarter of an hour done, the first substitutions were made on both sides: Ezequiel for Beñat and Diego Buonanotte for Isco. This change it was like a breath of fresh air for Betis who started, again, to cause trouble around Willy’s goal, whilst Málaga looked to recover ball control as they had had at the beginning of the second half.
Unlike what had happened on the first half, Betis, like Málaga, increased the pace in the last 15 minutes, ending the majority of attack moves well away from the centre of the pitch. One of the moves that must be highlighted was the shot from Jesús Gamez which narrowly missed going in.
With Camacho and Seba Fernández on the pitch for Duda and Rondón respectively the last few minutes of the match passed into extra time without much joy, even though both teams had some clear chances in the added minutes.
In the end, it was a goalless draw between Real Betis Balompié and Málaga Club de Fútbol, so they shared points meaning that Málaga stay in sixth place with 17 points.
Match details:
Real Betis Balompié: Casto; Isidoro, Ustaritz, Dorado, Nacho; Rubén Castro, Iriney, Beñat (Ezequiel 57’), Cañas; Pozuelo (Matilla 82’) and Jorge Molina.
Málaga CF: Caballero; Gámez, Demichelis, Mathijsen, Monreal; Toulalan, Duda (Camacho 77’); Joaquín, Isco (Buonanotte 60’), Cazorla; Rondón
Goals:
No goals.
Referee:
Teixeira Vitienes, Fernando. Yellow card for Betis’ Isidoro and Iriney; as well as Málaga’s Duda.
Notes:
12th BBVA League match. It took place in the Benito Villarmarín stadium in Seville.
