Real Betis 0-0 Málaga CF

[Pelusa97]

I feel like I should be more relieved than I am. The losing run was getting so ridiculous that a point is more than welcome, especially against a team with so many decent players, but somehow I can't get it out of my mind that we should have won! Betis maybe didn't create as many clear-cut chances as they did in Santander last week, but they were once again recognisable as the same team that waltzed to promotion, and tonight were - OK, I'll insert the word "arguably" here - the better team in a thoroughly nerve-wracking game. Just one goal in seven games is obviously not ideal, but a team that can dominate La Liga's sixth-placed team for long periods should be all right in the long run. As several of you pointed out in the awesome Live Thread, Málaga started the game brightly, with Joaquín and Isco looking lively and Betis struggling to find their rhythm. But it was hard not to be impressed with the way that Pepe Mel's side gradually wrestled control of the game from the visitors - with Iriney and, particularly, Cañas scrapping effectively in midfield - and with a little luck they could easily have been two-up at half-time. Rubén Castro wasted a nice cross from Pozuelo, Málaga keeper Willy Caballero was called upon to make a sharp save from one of his own defenders and Jorge Molina was thwarted by last-dithc interceptions on at least occasions. If an off-form Beñat hadn't wasted several good positions, Betis would surely have gone into half-time ahead.
They continued their decent play in the second half, albeit without ever quite dispelling doubts that Málaga might nick a goal on the break. The disappointing Beñat was soon replaced by Ezequiel (who had an encouragingly thoughtful half-hour), thus clearing the way for young Pozuelo to take more of a floating role and sweep up every man of the match award going. The best thing I can say about the 20-year-old media punta is that tonight he had something of the best of Achille Emaná about him, proving too strong and clever for his opponents most of the time. One lovely piece of skill and subsequent cross should definitely have been finished with a goal, but he did enough to earn a stadium-wide standing ovation when he was substituted late on and, injury permitting, will definitely start the next game at Villareal in a fortnight's time.
The real pain of the second half was that the home crowd (officially 38,000 and something) were desperate for a goal, overcoming a nervous first half themselves to build to a frightening crescendo as Betis pressed for the winner. Pelligrini was clever enough, though, to make a couple of well-timed substitutions to take out the heat out of the atmosphere at just the right tim, and in the end both teams rather limped across the finishing line. It'll feel like two points lost to both, but on the other hand drawing is, self-evidently, better than losing. And most importantly, Betis got at least some of their groove back. Let's hope they can go one step further against struggling Villareal after the next international break.
Betis: Casto; Isidoro, Ustaritz, Dorado, Nacho; Iriney, Cañas, Beñat (Ezequiel, m. 57); Pozuelo (Matilla, m. 81), Rubén Castro (Jefferson Montero, m. 85), Jorge Molina.

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