Betis and Roma End 1-1 Draw in Group C Showdown
On the fourth matchday of Europa League Group C, Chilean coach Manuel Pellegrini guided Betis to secure advancement with the result still leaving the door open for finishing first or second. The two sides, under the watchful eye of Jose Mourinho, delivered a evenly contested battle at Benito Villamarín as both teams chased a critical result.
In a tightly fought match, Roma took the lead in the second half with a powerful strike from outside the box nine minutes before the interval, despite Betis pressing relentlessly. Mady Camara struck back in the 53rd minute to level matters. Andrea Belotti appeared to score again after VAR checks, but the referee ruled out the goal for offside, keeping the contest finely poised as the Romanists eyed a second win of the group against Ludogorets.
Betis, benefiting from a strong early run in the group, had entered the day with a perfect record of nine points from nine and looked the more likely to press for victory. Roma, in contrast, approached the game with urgency, still pursuing a top-two finish after their first three fixtures.
Pellegrini, known for rotating his squad, fielded eight changes from the previous league match. Ivory Coast’s Paul, Mexico’s Guardado in midfield, Rodri, Canales, and Joaquín supported by Brazilian Willian José in attack formed a fresh lineup. Nicolo Zaniolo and Paulo Dybala, who had missed the previous meeting against Roma, started for Roma, who went into the game without two important pieces due to injuries and suspensions.
Roma began with intent, pressing high and controlling the midfield while Betis stood firm and absorbed pressure, hoping to strike on the counter. The Italian side built phases of structured pressure, but Betis goalie Rui Patricio — or rather his counterpart in the Betis goal — faced few clear-cut chances as the match evolved into a tactical duel.
Rodri Sánchez released a warning shot, prompting a clean save from Roma’s goalkeeper who denied a long-range attempt from outside the area. Lorenzo Pellegrini added a half-cleared shot that skimmed past Claudio Bravo, and Mourinho’s side persisted with intensity and alternatives, though their finishing lacked precision in the physical duel.
Canales delivered a dangerous cross from the right in a sequence of exchanges, leaving Roma momentarily unsettled. Mirroring the ebb and flow, Roma found themselves with an opportunity to convert but were unable to finish after Lorenzo Pellegrini kept the ball alive and Betis blocked the danger at the last moment.
Betis seized their chance to take the lead from the edge of the area when Canales punished a loose clearance with a fierce left-footed strike that deceived Rui Patricio. The ball found the far corner, sending the hosts ahead in a 1-0 scoreline and lifting the Villamarín crowd into a frenzy.
The Italian visitors refused to crumble, maintaining the pressure and continuing to test Betis with quick transitions. Canales, the standout for the Spaniards, struck again later in the half with another long-range attempt that skimmed the woodwork and forced a save from Patricio. Belotti later reached the end of a cross but was unable to convert as the ball deflected off a defender and away from danger.
After the restart, Roma pushed hard with Matic central and Camara lively in midfield, while Betis looked content to defend their lead and exploit space on the counter. The match remained open, with both teams trading chances in a tense, opportunistic spectacle.
With eight minutes elapsed in the second half, a poorly defended sequence enabled Belotti to stretch the lead, but Camara delivered a decisive ball to make the score 1-1. The lines were drawn as refereeing checks confirmed Belotti’s offside position before the goal stood, leaving the score officially tied at one apiece.
From that point, Pellegrini shuffled the bench, bringing on Luiz Henrique and Borja Iglesias for further attacking options while Joaquin and William Jose adjusted the forward line. Guido Rodríguez and William Carvalho entered the midfield for added control. The match devolved into a scrappy, physical affair, with Roma pressing for a late winner and Betis defending resolutely to preserve the draw.
Ultimately, Roma pressed resolutely but could not breach Betis’s last line, and Betis remained competitive enough to secure a point that kept them on the cusp of qualification while Roma, needing a stronger finish to secure progression, watched as the result shaped the final order in Group C.
– Data sheet –
Betis: Bravo; Ruibal, Pezzella, Luiz Felipe, Miranda; Guardado, Paul; Rodri, Joaquín, Canales; Willian José. Substitutes: Borja Iglesias, Luis Henrique, Guido Rodríguez, William Carvalho, etc.
Roma: Rui Patricio; Mancini, Smalling, Ibanez; Zalewski, Cristante, Pellegrini, Matic, Spinazzola; Abraham, Belotti. Substitutes: El Shaarawy, Bove, Viña, etc.
Events: The fourth day match of Europa League Group C was played at Benito Villamarín in front of a full house, with a large Roma support in attendance.