Real Betis lose their first match at the Villamarín (0-1)

Chumbi scored the winning goal 

Real Betis presented themselves at the Benito Villamarín Stadium to play in a league match against Albacete Balompié after an intense week in which there were two matches, the last of which resulted in a King's Cup victory against Llagostera. The opening stages of this match with very similar to that of the King's Cup match. Albacete moved around the pitch without pressure, with clear ideas and the team from Albacete had no problems with the ball. The rhythm of the match benefited the visiting team even more because they were able to take it into their own half. Minutes went by and the game was sluggish and slow, with a lot of direct move in which the follow-up place benefited the team from Albacete. The visiting players moved well creating plays gave them superiority.

Albacete and Chumbi were so comfortable on the field of play that the first attacking moves were for the visiting team. Chumbi got past Perquis and got in a shot which caused some danger, in the very next piece of play he did the same again with an identical result. Betis did not manage to get close to Alberto's goal until the 27th minute when Molina got in a shot. The most positive thing for the home team were Lolo Reyes movements which disturbed the visiting defence. The minutes went by and Velázquez's team were not giving a performance that was expected. Everything changed in the 34th minute when a header by Perquis off a corner kick was saved by Alberto, stretching to the maximum. From that moment on Betis didn't play great football but they did have the best scoring opportunities of the match. Rubén could have put the team ahead on two occasions. In the first he was a little bit selfish and yielded the ball to Molina when the one-on-one in front of the goal was clear. His second opportunity was just a few seconds later when his shot went wide of the post by a few centimetres.

Lolo Reyes was substituted at half-time after a collision with Alberto and Kadir came on to take his place as an attacking midfielder. Two of his passes could have been transformed into goals at the beginning of the second half. Albacete's reply was given by Chumbi but he lacked control in the area.

The midfield lost something with Lolo's departure but Velázquez quickly corrected the situation changing Cejudo for Nono and putting Kadir out on the right wing. But the green-and-whites' play was very flat and Chumbi's previous warnings were the prelude to his header which squeezed into the back of the net making it impossible for Adán to reach. 0-1 and things were not looking good for the Heliopolitan team who seemed to be out of the match and Chumbi could have scored a second but he failed to do so on the goal-line.

Rennella came on for Matilla to reinforce the attacking line but the most active player continued to be Kadir. The Algerian invented a piece of play which failed to tie the match because his left-footed shot went over the crossbar. In the 30th minute of the second half nerves started to show on the field and in the stands. Betis were not able to turn the score round nor were they able to get close to their rivals' goal. Kadir had the best opportunity close to the end of the match but he lacked control and nothing was to come of it.

Betis were not able to do any more and for the first time this season they came away with no points from a home match, a match in which they were not reunited victory nor did they continue with the same style of performance that they showed in the second half of the King's Cup knockout round against Llagostera.

 

0- Real Betis. Adán; Molinero, Perquis, Jordi Figueras, Casado; Ndiaye, Lolo Reyes (Kadir, m. 46); Cejudo (Nono, m. 59), Matilla (Rennella, m. 67), Rubén Castro; and Jorge Molina.

1- Albacete Balompié. Alberto Domínguez; Antoñito, Gonzalo, Noguerol, Pol; Edu Ramos, Mario Ortiz; César Díaz, Indiano (Portu, m. 77), Jorge Díaz (Keko, m. 62); and Chumbi (Cidoncha, m. 87). 0-1, m. 66: Chumbi.

Referee: Lesma López (Madrid). Yellow cards for Molinero, Cejudo, Ndiaye, Jorge Molina, César Díaz, Noguerol and Gonzalo.

Incidences. 30,049 spectators at the Benito Villamarín Stadium.