Real Betis secured a narrow 2-1 victory against Fiorentina in Seville in the first leg of their UEFA Conference League (UECL) semi-final, setting up a tense second leg in Florence.
Betis has a reputation for strong starts in this competition, scoring the first goal in 10 of their 11 previous UECL matches. However, the opening minutes of this game were particularly dramatic.
A long, bouncing ball allowed Cedric Bakambu to outmaneuver Pietro Comuzzo and set up Abde Ezzalzouli with a simple tap-in. But Ezzalzouli’s shot struck the underside of the bar. A long, anxious wait ensued due to goal-line technology issues before Michael Oliver confirmed the goal, giving Betis an early lead.
Fueled by the roaring crowd at the sold-out Estadio Benito Villamarín, Betis nearly added a second when Isco’s curling shot went just wide of David de Gea’s post.
Fiorentina gradually adjusted to the intense atmosphere. Rolando Mandragora came close for the Viola with a glancing header that went wide. Just before halftime, Marc Bartra missed a golden opportunity to double Betis’s advantage, blasting his shot over the bar from 12 yards after Fiorentina failed to clear a corner.
In the second half, Fiorentina’s Moise Kean was introduced, injecting fresh energy into their attack. However, it was Albert Gudmundsson who almost made an immediate impact, only to be denied by a crucial save from Fran Vieites.
De Gea then produced a stunning save, leaping to his left to keep out a powerful header from the unmarked Bartra.
The game seemed to settle into a lull before Antony scored a moment of brilliance, firing an unstoppable shot into the top corner from the edge of the box to put Betis firmly in control.
The Villamarin erupted once again, but Pablo Fornals squandered a chance to finish off a sweeping Betis move, directed by the impressive Isco, with a tame shot. This missed opportunity proved costly, as Fiorentina’s Luca Ranieri pulled one back just a minute later, firing home a cross from Gosens to set up a tantalizing second leg in Florence.
