Real Betis climbed into LaLiga’s top five after overturning a deficit to beat Valencia 2-1 at the Estadio de la Cartuja, ending a three-match winless streak against Los Che.
Antony, who had provided four assists in his last seven appearances for Betis, came close to extending that run early on.
The Brazilian was slipped through on the inside right, but his square pass from close range was surprisingly misdirected by Abde Ezzalzouli.
Valencia capitalized on their strong start, earning a penalty after Aitor Ruibal clumsily fouled Arnaut Danjuma.
Pepelu stepped up, but his spot-kick was expertly denied by Alvaro Valles, keeping Betis in the game.
The visitors didn’t take long to break the deadlock, however, as Luis Rioja found the net following a lay-off from Lucas Beltran, giving Valencia the lead.
Despite Valencia’s early dominance, they were quickly pegged back. Ruibal redeemed himself by winning a penalty after being fouled by Jose Copete, and Chimy Ávila powerfully converted, scoring his first LaLiga goal since November 2024.
Valencia had further chances to regain the lead before halftime, with Dimitri Foulquier’s effort flashing wide, but their finishing let them down repeatedly.
In the second half, Betis struggled to dominate, and Valencia’s attacking play remained inconsistent.
Beltran saw a close-range shot blocked, Filip Ugrinic tested Valles from distance, and Copete missed a glaring opportunity inside the six-yard box.
The breakthrough came late when Nelson Deossa sprinted down the right wing and delivered a precise cross to Pablo Fornals, who calmly slotted home the winner after his initial attempt was blocked.
The victory marked Betis’ third league win in eight matches, allowing them to leapfrog Espanyol, while Valencia’s three-match winning streak across all competitions came to a halt, leaving them just two points above the relegation zone.
