On 5 October, one of the matches of the Europa League in football took place. Betis (Sevilla) and Sparta (Prague) met.
Europa League
Betis (Sevilla) - Sparta (Prague) - 2:1 (1:1)
Goals: A. Diao (9), Isco (79) - Veljko Birmančević (3)
Warnings: Guido Rodriguez (11), Haraslin (15), Veljko Birmančević (45+5), A. Diao (45+4), Aitor Ruibal (58), Abner (90+2).
Real Betis earned a hard-fought victory over Sparta Prague in a thrilling UEFA Europa League match that ended 2-1 at the Benito Villamarín Stadium. Both teams went into the game with high hopes of picking up three valuable points, and it was Sparta Prague who took the lead with a goal from Viktor Birmančević in the third minute. Real Betis did not hesitate and equalised six minutes later through Abli Diao's effort. The first half was a tightly contested affair, with both teams showing intensity and determination. The competitive nature of the game led to a flurry of yellow cards. In the 11th minute Real Betis' Giovanni Rodriguez was cautioned, followed four minutes later by Sparta Prague's Luka Haraslin.
Towards the end of the half, the tension rose even more and in the 45th minute Diao and Birmancevic received yellow cards. The first half ended 1-1, which set the stage for an exciting second half. The second half started with Real Betis making two quick substitutions, with Aitor Ezzalzuli coming on in place of Adrian Perez and Juan Miranda replacing Abner. Sparta Prague also made a substitution, with Tomas Wisner replacing Iron Preciado. The referee continued to hand out yellow cards, cautioning Real Betis' Alvaro Ruibal in the 58th minute and Sparta Prague's Matej Ryns in the 76th minute. Real Betis made a third substitution in the 60th minute, replacing Andres Guardado with William Carvalho. Sparta Prague responded with two substitutions, with Kendrim Laci replacing Ladislav Sadilek and Jan Pesek replacing Birmančević. In the 75th minute, Real Betis introduced Borja Iglesias in place of Willian Jose, hoping to find a turning point. Real Betis' deserved advantage bore fruit four minutes later when Isco struck. Sparta Prague made two late substitutions in an attempt to salvage a point, with Jan Kuhta coming on in place of Victor Olatunji and Adam Karabec replacing Haraslin in the 80th minute. Real Betis also made a late substitution, with Diao replacing Hector Bellerin in the 85th minute. Tensions remained high as the game drew to a close, leading to Abner receiving the final yellow card in the 90th minute. Real Betis held on to their lead and went on to win 2-1. The match showed the competitiveness and determination of both teams, but in the end the victory went to Real Betis. This win complements their UEFA Europa League campaign and strengthens their position in the competition. On the other hand, Sparta Prague will be disappointed with the result but will be able to capitalise on their performance. Overall, the match was an exciting and thrilling spectacle, showing the excitement and drama for which the UEFA Europa League is renowned.
In the next round, the following matches await the opponents: Aris vs Betis, Sparta vs Rangers.
| Betis | Sparta | |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Kicks to the goal | 2 |
| 17 | Blows | 8 |
| 4 | Blocked shots | 3 |
| 9 | Penalty kicks | 4 |
| 8 | Penalty kicks | 4 |
| 12 | Offences | 13 |
| 4 | Corners | 3 |
| 1 | Offsides | 2 |
| 46% | Ball possession | 54% |
| 4 | Yellow cards | 3 |
| 0 | Red cards | 0 |
| 1 | Keeper saves | 2 |
| 417 | Total assists | 487 |
| 353 | Accurate assists | 406 |
| 85% | Transmission accuracy | 83% |