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Real Betis were guests of Elche as they continued their push for Champions League places. The Verdiblancos started poorly but found a way back into the game after multiple favourable refereeing decisions.
Elche were on course for only their second win of the season with two early goals against Real Betis, only to suffer two red cards, a fluke goal, and three penalties as they lost 3-2.
Los Franjiverdes hosted Real Betis at the Estadio Martinez Valero as they looked to continue their daunting task of staving off relegation. The hosts started well, but the ill luck that has condemned them to the bottom of LaLiga hit again as they suffered five major referring calls against them in the second half.
Elche took the lead in the seventh minute of the game from the penalty spot and doubled it almost immediately on a Lucas Boye strike in the 9th minute of the game.
Lisandro Magallan was shown straight red in the 57th minute of the game before Borga Iglesias pulled on back for Betis from the spot in the 65th minute.
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Juan Miranda made it two for the visitors in the 68th minute, after which Enzo Roco saw his second yellow card of the game in the 94th minute. Willian Jose drove the final dagger home with his strike in the 95th minute to win the game 3-2 for Manuel Pellegrini's side.
The win saw Betis close the gap on the top four to one point, while Elche stayed anchored to the bottom of the table.
How it happened
Elche came out firing, buoyed by their first win of the season only two weeks prior. They were rewarded for their early adventure when Abner Vinicius tripped Tete Morente in the box. The hosts were handed an early penalty, and Fidel made no mistake shooting centrally to beat the committed Claudio Bravo.
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Lucas Boye pounced on a soft Juanmi play before finding a shooting position just outside the ball, releasing a low-angled shot, and beating the outstretched Bravo to his left.
Elche continued to be the better side in the first half, with their visitors struggling to be coherent. Manuel Pellegrini saw the need for change and made three substitutions at halftime, bringing on Joaquin, Miranda, and Borja Iglesias and taking off Abner, Luiz Henrique, and Juanmi.
The changes were immediately effective for Los Verdiblancos, as they started to dominate proceedings, as was anticipated before the game.
The intensified pressure led Megallan to prevent a goal-scoring opportunity as he handled the ball, preventing Fekir from breaking into the area, leading the referee, upon VAR consultation, to send him off.
It went from bad to worse quickly from then on, as Tete Morente hacked Ayoze Perez in the box, handing Betis a chance from the spot that Borja Iglesias took with a plum to pull one back for Betis. It became two soon enough when an attempted cross from Miranda to Borja found its way into the bottom right corner.
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Betis then had the chance to make it three late in the game when Borja Iglesias flicked the ball onto Enzo Roco's hands. Referee David Iglesias Guiterrez pointed to the spot for the third time in the game, but his namesake could not capitalise for Betis, losing the battle of nerves against Edgar Badia.
The progression of the second-half suggested it was not going to be Elche's night, and it played out quite alright against them, with their visitors being handed another opportunity from the spot after Enzo Roco handled the ball again in the box, this time in an attempt to block Willian Jose's shot.
The Brazilian took responsibility for the spot-kick this time, sending Badia the wrong way to complete the Heliopolitans' comeback.
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