A goal in the final ten minutes by Jorge Molina was enough for Real Betis to earn the victory over Celta Vigo and remain right on Malaga’s tail for a Champions League spot.
Celta Vigo vs. Real Betis: Final score 0-1, Jorge Molina wins it late for the Béticos
It took 81 minutes but a moment of excellent skill from Jorge Molina was all Real Betis needed to earn the full three points over Celta Vigo
Denis Doyle
Here’s all you really need to know about the first 39 minutes between Celta and Betis. Solid defending, blocked shots, no corners and no shots taken from inside the 18-yard box. It wasn’t bad really but it was hardly scintillating soccer and even though a couple of those shots from distance were on target and forced saves, there weren’t many opportunities to get your blood pressure up.
The final six minutes of the first half though was quite enjoyable. Celta’s Michael Krohn-Dehli sent a through ball to Iago Aspas who made a great run in to the box before sending his shot just wide of the post. Betis goalkeeper Adrián may have gotten a finger on the ball, but it was hard to tell even on the replays.
Not to be outdone by the sudden offensive outburst, Betis forced the first corner of the match in the 42nd minute. It might have been a goal, rather than a corner, if not for a fantastic sliding tackle by Celta’s Andrés Túñez to break up the play and force a corner kick.
The second half started slowly, much like the first half and it appeared for awhile that both teams might be content to with draw and the point. Something changed their minds with 30 minutes to go as both teams began attacking in full force after coasting for the first 15 minutes of the half.
Betis earned a dangerous free kick in the 60th minute after Hugo Mallo clattered into Joel Campbell on the left side of the pitch near the end line. Beñat's free kick had a chance to sneak into the top corner of the goal, but it was punched away by a full extended Javi Varas.
Celta had a great chance in the 67th minute as Mallo sent a low cross in from the right wing that Iago was able to get his foot on. The net was open but Iago’s shot went just wide of the post.
Just when it looked as if we were going to get two scoreless matches in La Liga today, Betis broke through in the 81st minute.
Jorge Molina started the play in the midfield, chesting down a pass from Campbell and moving it out wide to Perez Nacho. As Nacho launched down the wing, Molina raced in to the box and established position just in time for Nacho’s cross. Molina smoothly received the ball as he stood between two Celta defenders and in one motion stopped the ball and swung his body weight around in to a quick shot that left Varas flatfooted and put Betis ahead 1-0.
Celta had a chance to equalize in the 93rd minute after Enrique De Lucas streaked between two defenders and pushed the ball wide to Mario Bermejo whose initial shot was saved by Adrián. Bermejop followed up on the rebound that had trickled back towards the goal and simply needed to center the ball to De Lucas who was standing in front of the empty net. Instead, Bermejo got the ball stuck in his feet and it ended up hitting off the outside of the post and behind for a goal kick.
The victory moves Betis in to fifth place, tied on points with Malaga but well behind them on goal differential.
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