Real Betis outlasts Valencia in a shootout to win Copa Del Rey
Copa Del Rey 2022 finals brought the fans back for the first time since 2019, and both Real Betis and Valencia did not disappoint their fans in Sevilla last April 24.
However, it was Manuel Pellegrini’s men that lifted the trophy for the third time, outlasting the fellow La Liga side, 5-4 on penalties after 120 minutes of football failed to break the 1-1 time.
With the win, Betis is assured of a group stage slot in the Europa League next season.
An exciting first half
Despite being designated as the away team, Real Betis’ fans made it like a home match, with the fact that La Cartuja was just more than just eight kilometers north of Benito Villamarin in Heliopolis.
That supposed advantage worked like a charm for Los Beticos, with Borja Iglesias opening the scoring just eleven minutes in. The Panda headed home Hector Bellerin’s cross to put them ahead.
But the lead only lasted until the half-hour mark, when Hugo Duro was picked out by Ilaix Moriba and chipped the ball over Claudio Bravo for the Valencian equalizer.
Betis tried to retake the lead just before half-time, but Sergio Canales had his effort denied by the post.
A free-flowing final
Despite neither side scoring in the second half, the free-flowing nature was still there as evident by its statistics befitting of the cup final.
Valencia had outshot Betis by just one, but the former has fouled the latter six more times in the process.
The lack of goalscoring at the restart was made possible by its impeccable goalkeeping, in which both Claudio Bravo and Giorgi Mamardashvili made themselves huge that kept the fans on their toes up until the final whistle in extra time.
Fairytale endings from the spot
The Copa Del Rey 2022 finals was decided by this: twelve yards from glory or agony.
Valencia and Betis had each of their first three takers find the net. However, midfielder Yunus Musah hits it over the bar trying to beat Bravo on the top corner.
That miss practically gifted the Copa to Betis, which was sealed when Juan Miranda ended their 17-year drought with an emphatic strike, sending wild celebrations.
The left-back is one of the two interesting storylines for Los Beticos, in which he attended their win in the 2005 final in Calderon as a fan.
Betis skipper Joaquin was the other one, in which he slotted home the second spot kick. Aged 40, he was there when they won it all in 2005 as a 23-year-old and used his experience on that side.
