Real Betis 1-1 (5-4 on pens) Valencia
Real Betis won the 2022 Copa del Rey on Saturday night after a thrilling clash with Valencia ended in a penalty shootout.
Betis’ 22-year-old defender Juan Miranda was the hero, converting the winning spot-kick after the two teams could not be separated in 120 minutes. Betis took an early lead when Borja Iglesias powered his header home but Hugo Duro levelled on the half hour with a cool finish.
Both sides had chances to win it, but it was Manuel Pellegrini’s Real Betis who are celebrating while Valencia head coach Jose Bordalas can be proud of his team’s fine effort.
Highlights of the game
Los Verdiblancos drew first blood on 11 minutes, and it was 29-year-old striker Iglesias who was on the spot to head home an inch-perfect cross from Hector Bellerin, after good work from Nabil Fekir.
It was the perfect start for Betis, who were clear favourites to win the trophy according to the pre-final Copa del Rey 2022 betting odds, and they had Valencia rocking in the early exchanges.
But Los Che have some dangerous players, and Portuguese winger Goncalo Guedes broke away on the counter before his country man William Carvalho ‘took one for the team’ by chopping him down and earning a yellow card.
Iglesias had a great chance to double the lead when he latched on to a short back pass from Mouctar Diakhaby and looked to round Giorgio Marmadashvili, but the Valencia keeper nicked the ball form the striker’s feet to save his defender’s blushes. And the stopper’s heroics were doubly rewarded when Duro levelled as he met a through ball from Guinea midfielder Ilaix Moriba and dinked his shot over Claudio Bravo and into the net.
Los Che were delighted to go into the half-time break level, but they should have been ahead early in the second half. Bravo did well to deny Jose Gaya, but when the usually reliable Carlos Soler met the rebound he somehow fired it over from point-blank range.
Valencia were on top and Soler almost found Moriba with a cross but Guido Rodriguez scrambled the ball clear.
Betis hit back and Iglesias sent Juanmi through on goal but Marmadashvili stood firm to keep the scores level. And Los Verdiblancos were inches away from a winner when Juanmi’s low shot beat the Valencia keeper but bounced back off the foot of the post. And Marmadashvili was the hero again when he denied Fekir with a brilliant save in the bottom corner when the French striker was clean through.
Iglesias had another attempt on 90 minutes but Marmadashvili tipped it round the post and the corner came to nothing. The clock then reached midnight in Sevilla and extra time started.
Claudio Bravo made a great save in the top right corner to keep out a drive from Valencia’s Thierry Correia in the best effort of the first period of extra time. And as the legs became heavy, Betis striker Cristian Tello took a shot from distance but was high and wide. With too much to lose, neither side gave an inch, so penalties was the outcome.
After the first six spot-kicks hit the mark, Valencia’s American midfielder Yunus Musah felt the pressure and smashed his effort high and wide. That left Betis defender Juan Miranda to take the glory with a perfect penalty into the top corner.
Key statistics
Real Betis were favourites to lift the trophy at an SBOTOP price of 1.65 with Valencia at a longer price of 2.29, but the Copa del Rey 2022 highlights told a story of Betis’ domination of possession while Valencia had plenty of attacks.
With 65 per cent of the ball, Los Verdiblancos had plenty of opportunities, but Los Che had slightly more shots at 16 to 14, with four each on target.
The spot kicks were all well-taken bar Musah’s and you have to feel sorry for the US star.
What’s next?
Spanish football fans are looking forward to the return of La Liga football next week, though there is one game on Sunday when Barcelona host Rayo Vallecano at the Camp Nou.
It’s just a matter of time until Real Madrid lift the league title and they host Espanyol next week when the job is likely to be finished. Barca are in second place and 15 points behind, as are Sevilla in third, while Atletico Madrid sit in the final Champions League spot, four points ahead of Betis.
Los Sevillistas host Cadiz on Friday night while Los Rojiblancos have a tricky game away to Athletic Bilbao.
Meanwhile, Valencia are at home to Levante next Saturday while Betis wait until the following Monday until they continue their European hunt away to Getafe.
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