Betis secures a 0-1 victory over Aris Limassol on Europa League matchday three
On the third matchday of the Europa League, Betis claimed a 0-1 win against Aris Limassol in Cyprus thanks to a late effort from Ayoze Perez. With about a quarter of an hour remaining, the goal lifted Betis to the top of Group C. Earlier, a 0-0 draw between Sparta Prague and Rangers kept the group standings tight. Moroccan winger Ez Abde stood out for his dangerous forays down the left flank.
Betis dominated the second half after a scoreless first period, maintaining pressure through the Argentinian coach Manuel Pellegrini’s favored system. Although the defense around German Pezzella held firm, Betis remained wary of the hosts as the Cypriot side pressed forward, nearly taking the lead when a cross from Mayambela found its way to the post and the rebound hit the woodwork just before the 0-1 strike. Polish forward Stepinski headed home with a late flurry of action to put Aris on the brink of a goal themselves.
Both teams displayed a common hunger to win and advance from a tightly contested Group C. Betis, having failed to win the first leg in Glasgow, later discovered a way to collect three points while Rangers, the perceived underdogs of the group, stunned Aris Limassol with a 2-1 victory. These results kept the group anxiously poised heading into the final rounds of fixtures.
Pellegrini made notable changes to his lineup during the visit to Alphamega Stadium in Limassol. The 1-1 draw at Getafe in La Liga featured the same lineup with Pezzella and midfielder Marc Roca, while Bartra’s injury prevented Chadi Riad from being registered for European competition. In the victory over Sparta Prague, Betis forced the hosts into an adjusted defensive posture from the start.
The strategist’s key reshuffle involved Isco Alarcón coming off the bench in place of more sustained regularity, with Louis Henrique preferred to Isco alongside Willian José and two pacey forwards at the tip of the attack: Ayoze and Abde. The change aimed to exploit Aris Limassol’s vulnerabilities in wide areas and rapid transitions.
The Spanish side appeared to misfire early on after a poor opening stretch, and the Cypriot side quickly exposed gaps at the back with quick counters. Shavy Babicka, the Gabonese winger, caused problems with a sequence of attempts, and Betis had to weather the initial storm as Pezzella cleared danger from a cross that followed a Babicka run. Betis gradually tightened their discipline and began to control possession, notably through the influence of Luiz Henrique on the right and Ayoze, who often delivered balls from wide areas into dangerous zones.
Babicka again tested Betis late in the first half, and Pezzella refocused his team’s defensive shape to deny the breakthrough. Betis began to build more intent through the middle, with Guido Rodríguez and William Carvalho dictating tempo as the visitors sought to stretch Aris on the flanks.
Ayoze and Abde linked up to create chances just before the halftime whistle, but Abde’s attempted pass across the box was cleared, and a goal could not be found. The first half ended without a score, but Betis carried momentum into the second period, maintaining pressure and seeking to exploit left-hand avenues with Abde at the helm of several forays.
Two minutes remained in the second period when Abde set the stage for a final push into attack, receiving a wide pass from William Carvalho and continuing into the box. His shot was cleared by Vaná, and Betis pressed on. Substitutions by both sides kept the game open, with Isco and the young Assane Diago joining Betis, and Borja Iglesias alongside Willian José entering for Luiz Henrique and Willian José respectively, as well as replacements in midfield and defense for Aris.
Aris Limassol did not surrender. In the 74th minute Mayambela struck from distance, forcing Rui Silva into a save that rebounded off the post. One minute later Ayoze broke through down the left, finishing from a well-worked sequence after Abde’s smart cross caused chaos in the box. Vaná’s initial stop rebounded to the forward, who converted with a composed finish, his third chance of the night. The goal gave Betis a slender advantage that the visitors held onto as the clock ticked down.
From there, Betis managed the game effectively, neutralizing Aris’s attempts to respond. The Cypriots pressed with intensity, but a headed effort from Stepinski just outside the area struck the post, and Betis held on for a crucial victory that put them at the top of Group C on this matchday. The result left Aris Limassol rueing missed opportunities and Betis celebrating a hard-fought three points.[citation needed]
Data sheet:
0 – Aris Limassol: Going; Boakye, Cajú, Moussounda, Yago, Urosevic; Szoke, Struski, Babicka, Mayambela, Bengtsson, Gomis. Substitutions: Brown, Spoljaric, Montnor. Stepinski coming on as an artistic addition later in the match.
1 – Betis: Rui Silva; Aitor Ruibal, Pezzella, Marc Roca, Abner; Guido Rodríguez, William Carvalho; Luiz Henrique, Ayoze, Abde; Willian José. Substitutions: Rodri, Guardado, Isco, Assane Diao, Borja Iglesias, Assane Diao again. Final lineup reflects changes through the latter stages of the match.
Aim: 0-1, M.75: Ayoze.
Referee: Filip Glova (Slovakia). Local warnings: Bengtsson and Gomis; visiting cautions: Ayoze and Guardado.
Event: The third-day Europa League Group C match took place at the Alphamega Stadium in Limassol in front of fewer than 10,000 spectators, including around 120 Betis supporters.