The Celta, with pride and quality, managed to overcome in the second half a two to zero against a goal by Brais Mendez and two by Maxi Gomez. Betis drew again with three minutes remaining and then the crossbar avoided the sky-blue victory after a free-kick by Iago Aspas.
The first half was full of mistakes, Betis took one of their chances and Celta could not score its own. At the 33 minute mark after a serve from the goalkeeper, a sky-blue mismatch and very few touches, Loren beat Sergio in the one-on-one. Pau Lopez avoided with a couple of good stops the best sky-blue chances with Brais and Emre Mor as protagonists.
After half-time, Pau Lopez again avoided the sky-blue goal with a great stop to a close-range shot by Emre Mor. At the 12 minute mark, bad luck in the rejections for the sky-blue and a loose ball for Junior to score at will.
Shortly afterwards, Maxi Gomez, who had just come in, headed a Hjulsager cross into the net. And the draw came with a work of art by Brais Mendez: control and great left-footed shot for the goal. With six minutes remaining, Maxi Gomez scored his second after a great cross from Hjulsager. Celta had come back from a two-goal deficit in the second half. But Betis, with a free-kick by Canales, drew two minutes later.
Iago crashed the ball against the crossbar in the last minute and Junca shot wide. That’s where the victory was.
GAME SHEET
3-R Betis: Pau López, Francis (Joaquin, min.80), Mandi, Bartra, Sidnei, Junior; Willliam, Guardado, Lo Celso, Canales Y Loren (Sanabria, min.80).
3-RC Celtic: Sergio; Hugo Mallo, Roncaglia, Cabral, Juncá; Beltrán, Okay, Brais Méndez (Araujo, min.89); Emre Mor (Maxi Gómez, min.61), Boufal (Hjulsager, min.46) and Aspas.
Goals: 1-0, min.33: Loren; 2-0, min.53: Junior; 2-1, min.63: Maxi Gomez; 2-2, min.69: Brais; 2-3, min.84: Maxi Gomez; 3-3, min.87: Channels.
Referee; Estrada Fernandez of the Catalan committee. He admonished Juncá, Okay, Junior. Channels, Mandi. Expelled Antonio Mohamed.
Stadium: Benito Villamarín.
