March 03, (THEWILL)- Atletico Madrid secured a much-needed 2-1 win against Real Betis on Sunday, ending their recent slump and extending their unbeaten run against Los Verdiblancos to 10 matches. The victory came as a welcome boost for the home side, who had only managed one win in their previous seven matches across all competitions.
The hosts took the lead after just seven minutes through an unfortunate own goal. Mario Hermoso won the ball in Betis territory and continued his run as the ball was worked to Memphis Depay on the right. Depay’s low cross was cut out by Hector Bellerin but the ball ricocheted off German Pezzella, then goalkeeper Rui Silva, and in off the post.
Atletico continued to dominate the first half, with Silva making a double save to deny Depay. In the 25th minute, Alvaro Morata was awarded a penalty by VAR after being brought down by Silva. However, the goalkeeper guessed correctly and saved not only the penalty but also two rebounds. Morata made amends for his miss before half-time, heading in a rebound after Silva saved Rodrigo De Paul’s shot from the edge of the box.
Betis improved after the restart, with Jan Oblak saving Willian Jose’s header. However, the visitors pulled one back just after the hour mark when William Carvalho curled a wonderful effort into the top corner from 25 yards out, his first goal of the season.
In the final 15 minutes, Oblak was instrumental in preserving Atletico’s lead, making crucial saves to deny Ayoze Perez and Gabriel. The win comes as a timely boost for Diego Simeone’s men ahead of their midweek UEFA Champions League second leg against Inter Milan. Meanwhile, Betis’ five-match unbeaten run comes to an end, and they are still without an away win against a top-half team this season.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
