Betis held Real Madrid to 1-0 in La Liga's fourth round at Estadio la Cartuja on Thursday evening. Troy Parrott found the net in the eighty-first minute to secure a result that shifted the table's momentum. Madrid, unbeaten in three, were left to wonder how so much dominance ended with a single goal.
The match settled into a rhythm before the break, with both sides testing each other's defence. Madrid controlled possession but struggled to convert their chances. Parrott's goal came from a swift counter-attack, catching the visitors flat-footed as they pushed forward. The scoreline reflected a game where one decisive moment outweighed sustained pressure.
Madrid dominated the statistics. They recorded eighteen shots to Betis's five, with expected goals of 3.16 against 0.96. Yet the visitors paid for a sloppy opening, failing to capitalise on big chances created. Betis goalkeeper made six saves, while their defence cleared twenty-one times to keep Madrid at bay.
Substitutions piled up in the second half as both managers reshuffled their lines. Six changes were made by the ninetieth minute, with Madrid bringing on Valverde, Cucurella, Dumfries, and Güler in quick succession. The visitors pushed for an equaliser, but Betis defended in numbers and refused to go away.
A late VAR check cancelled Carlos Espí's goal in the eighty-ninth minute, adding to the tension. Mbappé then missed a penalty in stoppage time, his shot going wide from the spot. Things came to a head in those final moments, but Madrid could not find a way through.
Betis moved to seventh with six points from three games, their third win in four matches. Madrid remained second with nine points, but the result ended their perfect start. The visitors had one foot in the next phase, but this defeat showed they are not invincible.
