Valencia vs Real Betis

Real Betis came away from Mestalla with all three points after a cagey encounter that saw Valencia dominate possession but fail to find the back of the net. The hosts pressed forward throughout, racking up 16 shots and earning eight corners, yet only managed to get three on target. Betis defended resolutely, absorbing the pressure and hitting on the counter when opportunities arose. The breakthrough came at some point, though neither side had troubled the scoreline at the break, and it proved enough to settle a tight contest. Álvaro Valles was immense between the posts for the visitors, denying Valencia repeatedly and earning the Man of the Match honours with a commanding display. The 0-1 defeat leaves Valencia with work to do if they're to climb the table, while Betis will be pleased with a gutsy away win against a side that had the better of the chances. It was the kind of result that separates tidy defending from wasteful attacking, and Betis's efficiency will have earned them plenty of credit on the road.

Valencia 0-1 Real Betis was the final score at Mestalla, in a game where Real Betis did enough across the ninety minutes to deserve the three points. Even without the extra share of possession, which finished 42% in favour of Valencia, Real Betis made the most of the chances that mattered and did enough to see the game out. The shot count told a similar story, with 16 attempts from Valencia against 15 from Real Betis over the course of the game. It was not always comfortable for Real Betis, and Valencia pushed for a way back into the game, but the result stood. Games like this can carry real weight later in the season, so this is a scoreline worth remembering. Below is a closer look at how the match broke down, statistically.