A very weak Betis falls to Dinamo Zagreb

Straight

An impotent Betis, without football and without soul, deservedly fell to Dinamo Zagreb in its debut in the Conference League, the third continental competition that the Betis team competes in after being eliminated from the Europa League.

Manuel Pellegrini's team, reliable in the League, showed that playing in Europe is not their thing, where they reap one disappointment after another.

Dinamo Zagreb won practically without shooting on goal, thanks to a penalty by Chadi Riad in the 75th minute. Petkovic scored, the only interesting element of the Croatian team, a historically fallen team that took a very good advantage for the lap.

The lack of competitiveness was very striking for Betis, who only reacted in the final stretch of the match, after the Croatians' goal.

A free-kick from Willian José against the post in the 88th minute was the green and white's best chance.

The disappointment was capitalized in green and white.

Playing this way, it is almost impossible for them to come back in the second leg, which will be played in a week in Zagreb.

Betis, which has played in the Champions League, the UEFA Cup, the Cup Winners' Cup and the Europa League, had a very disappointing debut in the Conference League.

BETBetis

0

Rui Silva, Pezzella, Juan Miranda, Aitor Ruibal (Ginés Sorroche, min. 86), Chadi Riad, Fekir, Johnny, Rodri (Héctor Bellerín, min. 58), Abde (Assane Diao, min. 58), William Carvalho (Marc Roca, min. 58) and Willian José

DZA D. Zagreb

1

Ivan Nevistic, Maxime Bernauer (Takuya Ogiwara, min. 81), Théophile-Catherine, Mauro Perkovic, Ristovski, Takuro Kaneko, Josip Misic, Arbër Hoxha, Martin Baturina, Marko Bulat and Petkovic (Kulenovic, min. 86)

Goals

0-1 min.

75: Petkovic.

Referee

Mykola Balakin

Yellow cards Assane Diao (min. 80), Martin Baturina (min. 81), Dario Spikic (min. 86) and Pezzella (min. 91)

Everything was very cold at the Benito Villamarín.

The atmosphere, the intensity of Betis and the spirit of the players when competing in a Conference League that seemed like a punishment more than an illusion for the members of the Betis squad.

The first half for Betis was very weak, with an Andalusian team that played on its feet, without emotion, without overflowing, without crossing a line and without giving speed to the game.

In this way it is impossible to overwhelm a European rival.

Even though Dinamo Zagreb, a historic player in continental football, is not enjoying its best moment.

They are third in their League, six points behind the leader, Rijeka.

Betis only had a clear option in that unpleasant first half.

It was a shot from Fekir that Nevistic deflected very well into a corner kick.

The rest was a pure exercise in helplessness.

Soccer is difficult to play on foot.

Pellegrini tried to change the fate of the match with three substitutions in the 58th minute. Bellerín, Roca and Diao came on, but the global apathy with which Betis approached the match did not change.

In an isolated play, Dinamo found themselves with a penalty by Chadi Riad, warned by the VAR to the Ukrainian referee Mykola Balakin.

Petkovic scored and Dinamo Zagreb found themselves with an unexpected advantage.

Betis tried and had two clear options from Chadi Riad and Willian José to at least tie the game.

The equalizer did not come and even Pezzella received a yellow card for protesting, which will prevent him from playing in the second leg in Croatia.

Disappointing debut for Betis in a strange competition like the Conference League, but a European competition, after all, that demanded much more.

Dinamo Zagreb didn't even suffer.

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