Braga score four unanswered goals to roar back against Betis and into semis

[p]Following a 1-1 draw across the Iberian border seven days ago, Manuel Pellegrini’s side raced out of the traps in pursuit of the final four,[b] as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/antony/dIe4SZEK/"]Antony[/a] deftly nodded home [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ez-abde/YRiVcQ3T/"]Abde Ezzalzouli[/a]’s deflected cross to give the hosts a deserved lead on 13 minutes. [/b][/p][p]That raised the volume inside a buoyant Estadio de La Cartuja, [b]and Ezzalzouli popped up again, crisply steering home [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fornals-pablo/CfghB0gf/"]Pablo Fornals[/a]’ cutback 12 minutes later to put the hosts 2-0 up from close range.[/b][/p][p]That appeared to put [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/betis/vJbTeCGP/"]Betis[/a] in control, as Ezzalzouli buried Antony’s pass, only for VAR to rule it out for offside against the former Manchester United winger in the build-up.[/p][p]Fuelled by this reprieve, [b]ex-Barcelona striker [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/delgado-pau-victor/QkMhPUdc/"]Pau Victor[/a] volleyed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/braga/dpUer7ht/"]Braga[/a] back into the game just before half-time, after a defensive mix-up between Betis duo [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bartra-marc/8K4WA9Gh/"]Marc Bartra[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/llorente-diego/2XJ8qBI1/"]Diego Llorente[/a].[/b][/p][p]That spark of a fightback was seized on by Braga instantly after the restart.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/vitor-carvalho/zDUN9KT3/"]Vitor Carvalho[/a]’s towering header dragged them level at 2-2, and with the wind in their sails, the Portuguese outfit powered ahead on 53 minutes.[/b][/p][image alt="It was an eventful second leg" id="564ef06e-25f0-4b8f-9872-9d2155277dfa" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="cc7c2045-4b15-443c-b88d-7b9c87592501" original-width="1920" original-height="1080" /][p]Appropriately, it was club talisman [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/horta-ricardo/C6VHJ9JM/"]Ricardo Horta[/a] who completed the comeback, [b]when he calmly rolled home his 20th goal of the season from the penalty spot, after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/amrabat-sofyan/r5WUFzf3/"]Sofyan Amrabat[/a] clumsily brought down [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tiknaz-demir-ege/p0StIVQQ/"]Demir Tiknaz[/a] to leave Betis stunned. [/b][/p][p]A tense finale seemed inevitable, as Betis poured forward in search of a route back into the match.[/p][p]But it was Braga who made the result safe on 75 minutes, when a poor headed clearance from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rodriguez-ricardo/8EqrjqCF/"]Ricardo Rodriguez[/a] sat perfectly for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gorby/pSICdAse/"]Jean-Baptiste Gorby[/a] on the edge of Betis’ box, [b]and the 23-year-old bulleted past [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lopez-pau/rZes9CKA/"]Pau Lopez[/a] to send Braga into dreamland in Andalucia.[/b][/p][embed guid="ddbbd90e-9f77-4091-a4b4-07f321beae17" url="https://x.com/SCBragaOficial/status/2044884187102999021" social-type="twitter" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/augusto-carlos/QZQkZOWj/"]Carlos Vicens[/a]’ side now take on Bundesliga team Freiburg in the semis, with a home first-leg on April 30th, in their first appearance at this stage of the competition since losing the 2011 final to Porto.[/p][p]As for Betis, they return to LaLiga action next weekend, with Los Verdiblancos currently fifth - finishing there would seal Champions League qualification, if the Spanish top-flight gain an expected extra place for next season.[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/horta-ricardo/C6VHJ9JM/"]Ricardo Horta[/a] (Braga)[/b][/p][image alt="Key match stats" id="d4816601-d630-4d1d-a68b-46b7e9128650" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="4e0b6061-efb6-44d2-9d93-1b23e0bc86cb" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/betis-vJbTeCGP/braga-dpUer7ht/?mid=dzaI5pJ0"]Click here for match stats and more.[/a][/b][/p]