Real Betis maintained their perfect start to the UEFA Champions League campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Feyenoord on Wednesday night, as Isco’s second-half penalty proved decisive in a tense encounter at the Estadio La Cartuja.
Manuel Pellegrini’s side secured their third consecutive victory in the competition, collecting nine points from their opening three matches and strengthening their position among the early contenders for a place in the knockout stages.
The result, however, was far from straightforward. Betis created numerous opportunities but struggled to turn their attacking dominance into goals, while Feyenoord threatened to punish their wastefulness before Isco finally broke the deadlock from the penalty spot.
The hosts started brightly, controlling possession and attempting to stretch Feyenoord’s defensive structure through the movement of Abde Ezzalzouli and Antony.
Isco nearly opened the scoring in the 22nd minute after receiving a clever chipped pass from Marc Bartra. The Spanish midfielder found himself in a promising position but failed to produce the finish required to beat Feyenoord goalkeeper Tjark Ernst.
Betis continued pressing, and another promising combination between Bartra and Antony created an opportunity shortly after the half-hour mark. Ernst reacted well to deny the hosts, keeping the visitors in contention as Betis increased the pressure.
Feyenoord gradually found their footing and demonstrated that they could threaten on the counterattack. Anis Hadj Moussa tested Betis goalkeeper Álvaro Valles with a dangerous effort in the 36th minute, forcing an important save as the visitors sought to exploit gaps in the home defence.
The Dutch side came agonisingly close to taking the lead in the 43rd minute. Luciano Valente delivered an inviting cross from the left, allowing Gjivai Zechiël to arrive in a dangerous position inside the penalty area. However, with the goal seemingly at his mercy, the Feyenoord midfielder sent his close-range effort over the crossbar.
It was a costly miss that allowed Betis to reach half-time level despite enjoying promising attacking spells of their own.
Feyenoord threatened again shortly after the restart when Hadj Moussa tested Valles in the 46th minute. The goalkeeper was alert to the danger, making another save to prevent the visitors from taking the lead.
Betis responded by increasing their attacking intensity, with Pablo Fornals forcing Ernst into a save in the 53rd minute. The hosts continued moving the ball quickly around the penalty area, searching for an opening against a Feyenoord defence that was becoming increasingly stretched.
Their breakthrough arrived in the 59th minute following a handball incident involving Jeremiah St. Juste.
Abde attempted to deliver the ball into the penalty area, but the delivery struck the Feyenoord defender’s arm. The referee awarded a penalty, giving Betis a golden opportunity to take control of the contest.
Isco stepped forward and delivered a composed finish, sending his right-footed effort into the bottom-right corner while Ernst dived the other way. The goal gave Betis a deserved 1-0 lead and sent their supporters into celebration.
The goal also shifted the pressure onto Feyenoord, who were forced to abandon some of their defensive caution in search of an equaliser.
Betis made changes to maintain their energy, introducing Dani Ceballos and Rodrigo Riquelme as the match entered its final stages. The substitutions helped the hosts retain attacking momentum, although they were unable to find a second goal to put the contest beyond doubt.
Riquelme came close to adding another in the 74th minute, but Ernst produced another save to keep Feyenoord within striking distance. Marc Bartra also tested the goalkeeper from outside the penalty area four minutes later.
Feyenoord pushed forward during the closing stages, looking to salvage a point from an encounter in which their defensive organisation had largely kept them competitive. Betis, however, remained disciplined at the back, with Bartra and Natan producing important interventions to prevent the visitors from creating a clear route to goal.
The hosts faced another tense moment in stoppage time when Moussa delivered a dangerous ball across the penalty area. Rodrigo Riquelme intervened decisively, clearing the danger and preserving Betis’ narrow advantage.
The final whistle confirmed a valuable victory for the Spanish side, whose persistence ultimately proved more important than their missed chances.
The statistics reflected Betis’ attacking initiative. They registered 23 shots compared with Feyenoord’s 12, although the visitors enjoyed 53 per cent possession against Betis’ 47 per cent. The figures illustrated how Feyenoord managed to see more of the ball while Betis created the greater volume of shooting opportunities.
For Pellegrini, the victory was another encouraging sign of his team’s growing confidence in European competition. Isco delivered when it mattered most, while Valles’ saves and the defensive contributions of Bartra and Natan ensured the penalty remained enough to secure all three points.
Feyenoord, meanwhile, will regret Zechiël’s missed opportunity before the interval and their inability to convert periods of possession into a decisive attacking breakthrough.
Betis may not have produced a spectacular scoreline, but their disciplined performance secured precisely what they needed: another Champions League victory and a perfect nine points from three matches.
