This morning's match at El Sadar already had a label before it started. Improvement was the heading of the match with two hidden faces that Real Betis were to reveal. The first half was perfect. They followed all the guidelines to be a solid team. They had all the movements to become a dynamic team. And they fell. Betis had an intensity that is a characteristic of Osasuna in their home ground, but this time it was the visiting team. In the second half all the good things disappeared. Three set pieces put asunder all the good that had been done. That was the stark reality.

In the last match against Recreativo, Betis opened the scoring early in the match, in the 9th minute. This time they had to wait until the 12th minute to score off a perfect counterattack. Matilla took the pressure off himself passing to Rubén who yielded the play to Rennella who sprinted towards the area. Álex Martínez ran up the left wing and the Franco-Italian saw him and passed the ball to him. The apprentice lifted his head and saw Rubén, and the header by the player from the Canary Islands went up on the scoreboard at El Sadar. In contrast to the match against Huelva Betis went out for more after the first goal. First Molinero and then Rubén, with another header put the fear into their opponents defence.

Counterattacks were working well fro Betis. In the 18th minute, Matilla yielded the ball to Rubén who, after dribbling in the area unaware of Kadir's presence, took a powerful yet not difficult to save and Santamaría stopped it. These were the best minutes for Velázquez's team. There was speed and precision, movements up the pitch were rapid and full of rhythm. Halfway through the first half Rubén and Ceballos connected well in the area, but the midfielder's shot went high. With each piece of play they looked like a strong agile team; soon they were to score their second. But Osasuna were not going to give in easily and Adán had to pull out the stops the save a long shot by Kodro.

Kadir's mobility, playing freely and switching between the wings, gave a new air to Betis, who have some intelligent players up front, very intelligent. Rubén made the most of all his teammates movements and the spaces left by them. Matilla read the number 24's movement to lose his mark sidestepping the goalkeeper and setting up Rennella who healed the ball in for a goal. This second goal in the 32nd minute, was the best example of what Betis was like in the first half.

Despite the quality of their rivals the Heliopolitan team had bite. The confidence of being ahead made them hungry for more. Without a doubt, these were the most intense 45 minutes for Real Betis so far this season, and they could have scored a third before half time but Rennella shot high off another good piece of play. That was in the first half, because Betis deserved the advantage they had; however, in the second half they were to lose it. Their best performance gave way to nerves and insecurity. Their bad side made an appearance ousting the good side.

Osasuna surprised them off a set piece. A strategic corner kick with a mistake in the marking and Nekounan reduced the gap. The 14th minute of the match and a freekick on the wing. Flaño got through the defence on the near post and his header found the corner of the goal on the far post making a save impossible for Adán. Two set pieces and all the good of the first half was for nought. With all that has been written above, with various paragraphs of praise extolling their merit, we only need one paragraph to tell of the home teams achievements. Two different was of playing but with the same result, or better, if you lose concentration for an instant, or in three instants.

Until the 29th minute Betis did not harry Santamaría's goal until N'Diaye's shot. The Senegalese player came on for Lolo after Chuli did the same for Rennella. Minutes passed and nothing noteworthy happened. But then came the 40th minute. Again a set piece. Adán, who had inspired so much confidence in his teammates in the high ball plays, did not clear well and Onwu scored the third.

Everything was ruined. Everything went overboard in just three plays. Betis's best performance of the season in the first half was for nothing. With just three approaches Osasuna had made a comeback in a match that Betis had under control. Betis won in the first half and lost it in the second.

3-CA Osasuna: Santamaría, Echaide, David García, Miguel Flaño, Cadamuro, De las Cuevas (Onwu, min. 85), Loé, Nekounam, Kodro (Roberto Torres, min. 75), Ansarifard (Sisi, min. 46) and Nino.

2-Real Betis: Adán, Molinero, Bruno, Jordi Figueras, Álex Martínez, Kadir, Lolo Reyes (N’ Diaye, min. 66), Matilla (Dani Pacheco, min. 81), Dani Ceballos; Rennella (Chuli, min. 66) and Rubén Castro.

Goals: 0-1, min. 12: Rubén Castro. 0-2, min. 32: Rennella. 1-2, min. 48: Nekounam. 2-2, min. 60: Miguel Flaño. 3-2, min. 87: Onwu.

Referee: Piñeiro Crespo, from Castilla Leon. Yellow cards for Cadamuro, Lolo Reyes and Loé.