Real Betis beat Real Sociedad 1-0 in the second round of La Liga at the Estadio la Cartuja on Thursday evening. Rodrigo Riquelme's second-half goal proved decisive in a tightly contested match where chances remained few and far between. The result leaves Betis third on nine points while Sociedad drop to eleventh with four.
The home side had their best moment in the sixty-third minute when Riquelme found space to fire past the goalkeeper. Sociedad had created two big chances overall but failed to convert, while Betis managed just one. The visitors controlled possession at fifty-two per cent but struggled to break down a disciplined defensive shape.
Substitutions came thick and fast around the hour mark, with Sociedad bringing on Kubo and Barrenetxea alongside Bernal. Betis responded at sixty minutes by introducing F. Bernal, and both managers kept reshaping their sides through the second half. Gómez picked up a yellow card early in the half for a reckless challenge, while Aramburu and Zubeldia also joined the notebook.
The statistics tell a story of missed opportunities on both sides. Betis registered fourteen shots with seven on target but an expected goals figure of only 1.24. Sociedad had fewer attempts but a higher xG of 1.36, suggesting they created better quality chances without finding the net. The goalkeeper made six saves for the visitors against three for the home side.
Discipline remained generally sound despite six yellow cards across ninety minutes. Natan and Fran García were booked late on, and Héctor Bellerín picked up a card in stoppage time. Both teams committed similar numbers of fouls, with Betis on nine and Sociedad on twelve.
The result ends a run of mixed form for Betis, who had suffered a narrow defeat to Inter earlier in the week. Sociedad's struggles continue after three consecutive defeats across all competitions, including losses to Chelsea and Cologne. The gap between them in the table now sits at five points.