In a disappointing outcome for the Verdiblancos, a 1-1 draw against Dinamo resulted in their elimination from the tournament.
Real Betis Balompié’s hopes of progressing in the Conference League were dashed on Thursday following a 1-1 draw against GNK Dinamo. This result followed their 0-1 defeat on February 15 during the first leg at the Benito Villamarín Stadium, effectively knocking them out in the round of 32.
The match, which took place at the Stadion Maksimir in Zagreb, Croatia, saw Betis struggle against the offensive prowess of Bruno Petkovic. In the 18th minute, Petkovic’s direct free kick from the top of the area forced Rui Silva into action, pushing the ball to a corner. Later, a well-placed pass into the area found Petkovic, but his shot grazed the crossbar.
Real Betis responded through Cédric Bakambu after about 30 minutes of play. Bakambu’s well-placed header from the penalty spot narrowly missed the post. However, this effort was a precursor to a spectacular goal by Bakambu in the 38th minute, scored from point-blank range.
The goal came after a long pass to Aitor Ruibal on the right wing was intercepted by Mauro Perkovic, who inadvertently knocked the ball into the path of Ruibal. Ruibal quickly crossed the ball low to Bakambu, who elegantly backheeled it into the net.
Despite Nabil Fekir scoring a second goal for Betis at the start of the second half, the team struggled to create further chances. As the game progressed, Dinamo improved their performance. In the 59th minute, Arbër Hoxha exploited a lapse in Betis’ defense to cross the ball into the area.
The cross found Takuro Kaneko at the far post, who managed to get the better of Juan Miranda due to Rui Silva’s poor positioning, levelling the score at 1-1. Dinamo continued to grow in confidence, showcasing their counterattacking skills, which led to a penalty decision against Héctor Bellerín in the 78th minute after a run by Hoxha down the left side.
However, after consulting VAR, the referee reversed his decision, ruling that Bellerín had only lightly touched the ball with his boot. Despite the presence of Willian José for the entirety of the second half, Betis were unable to find the fluidity needed to score another goal. A goal that could have pushed the match into extra time and kept their tournament hopes alive, but ultimately, they bid farewell to the competition.
