Real Betis send Oviedo closer to relegation with thumping win in LaLiga

[p]Having started the day eight points adrift of safety, Oviedo began like a team who knew they sorely needed a victory, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/chaira-ilyas/QZ5Y2SPf/"]Ilyas Chaira[/a] forcing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/valles-alvaro/fk9lRE6p/"]Álvaro Valles[/a] into a sprawling stop within 15 seconds of kick-off.[/p][p]Valles was called into action again shortly after when he saved [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/reina-alberto/rFSzAZrl/"]Alberto Reina[/a]’s shot on the turn, before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/colombatto-santiago/zq5tx9ZS/"]Santiago Colombatto[/a] whipped a free-kick just wide of the near post.[/p][p][b]However, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/lille/pfDZL71o/"]Los Azules[/a]’ good work was undone midway through the half when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fornals-pablo/CfghB0gf/"]Pablo Fornals[/a]’ deflected cross fell kindly for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cucho-hernandez/65KF7LTO/"]Hernández[/a], and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/betis/vJbTeCGP/"]Betis[/a]’ top goalscorer in LaLiga tucked home from 15 yards.[/b][/p][image alt="Match stats" id="fd84e4bd-242c-447e-8abf-e2c1e10ff84e" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="e0d083dd-0e9a-429b-bd97-e1e80c5a0533" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]Oviedo failed to capitalise on some good positions as they hunted an equaliser, but Betis would have increased their lead were it not for Chaira’s goal-saving sliding interception to deny [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ez-abde/YRiVcQ3T/"]Abde Ezzalzouli[/a] a tap-in at the far post.[/p][p][b]The visitors then felt they should have had a penalty when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/amrabat-sofyan/r5WUFzf3/"]Sofyan Amrabat[/a] caught [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fernandez-thiago/WE3kXLUN/"]Thiago Fernández[/a] with his studs as he slid in on the byline, and their frustrations only grew when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/antony/dIe4SZEK/"]Antony[/a] crossed for Ezzalzouli to poke home and double Los Verdiblancos’ advantage on the stroke of half time.[/b][/p][p]Los Azules were on the wrong end of another marginal decision eight minutes after the break when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/vinas-federico/AowQSEG9/"]Federico Viñas[/a] thought he had halved the deficit with a header, only for VAR to show he was centimetres offside.[/p][p][b]Oviedo brought 41-year-old [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cazorla-santi/rVt0F12N/"]Santi Cazorla[/a] off the bench as they looked to fight back, but before he could make an impact, Betis added a third goal, as a counter-attack ended with Hernández flicking Ezzalzouli’s cross in off the post for his 10th LaLiga goal of the season. [/b][/p][embed guid="10573633-616a-4872-a3f1-9c1036d6f83a" url="http://x.com/LaLigaEN/status/2050999904474923513" social-type="twitter" /][p]Viñas twice headed off target before Valles saved Reina’s shot with his legs, but Betis saw out a comfortable victory to extend their unbeaten H2H run to 14 games (W7, D7).[/p][p]Pellegrini’s side have not lost at home in the league since December, and they are now six points clear of sixth-place [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/celta-vigo/8pvUZFhf/"]Celta Vigo[/a], which could prove crucial if Spain is awarded a fifth UEFA Champions League qualifying spot.[/p][p]In contrast, Oviedo look set to make an immediate return to the second tier with just four games of the LaLiga season remaining.[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cucho-hernandez/65KF7LTO/"]Cucho Hernández[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/betis/vJbTeCGP/"]Real Betis[/a])[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/betis-vJbTeCGP/oviedo-SzYzw34K/?mid=U5uP615D"]Check out all the match stats with Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]