Third in LaLiga, placed in the round of 16 of the Europa League, Cup finalist. Betis is experiencing a historic season but Rayo Vallecano had him on the ropes last night with a match of tremendous merit. It was a night with an unforgettable ending, one of those that only the Cup can produce. Betis, leaning back on their lead (1-2) from the first leg, was reserved and indecisive, against Rayo who played with maximum interest and concentration, with nothing to lose, and who closed well their game sources, William Carvalho and Sergio Canals. He managed the match, but he lacked a shot. The Villamarín public alternated their gaze between the field and the clock, in search of an ally.
Suddenly everything exploded. Baby entered shortly after the end and the first thing he did was take a free kick from a distance that he hit the barrier and went for a corner. His second touch was the launch of that corner, on whose rebound Willian José gave away a foul (almost where the other had been) due to the bad mania of taking his elbow to fly. And again Baby, who this time fired a homicidal cannon shot at the squadron against which Claudio Bravo’s flight could do nothing. The match expired, we were facing an extension deserved by Rayo when Joaquín connected with Sergio Canales and the thing ended in a decisive goal, after a rebound that favored Borja Iglesias.
It was an extraordinary final, football of the type that you only see in the Cup. There was a trace of pity for the punishment suffered by Lightning, but it cannot be said that it was unfair either.. Al Rayo (and his coach, Iraola), this Cup has confirmed them as the revelation team of the year. Don’t give up now. Betis (and Pellegrini) are presented with this final as the opportunity to turn a great season into a historic season. Valencia-Betis, great final. They are not Madrid and Barça, accustomed to keeping everything, but a very good second line to which the new Cup model makes way more easily. The Cup is a great invention.