Riquelme Gives Betis a Strong Start in LaLiga With a Hard-Fought Win Over Sociedad
By: Dr. Talal Othman
Seville – LaLiga, Matchday 2
Real Betis snatched a precious three points in front of their home crowd at the Estadio La Cartuja in Seville, edging past visitors Real Sociedad by a single goal in Matchday 2 of the Spanish league, LaLiga. The result gives head coach Manuel Pellegrini an encouraging start to this early stage of the season, at the expense of a side that has been struggling noticeably in its away fixtures of late.
Match Summary
The opening minutes belonged to the hosts, who pressed early in search of a quick breakthrough, but Real Sociedad's well-organized defense absorbed the pressure without ever facing a genuine threat on goal. As the game progressed, the Basque side's performance improved, and both teams appeared evenly matched in terms of chances throughout a scoreless first half.
At the start of the second half, Betis regained control of the game's tempo and asserted their dominance — a dominance that paid off in the 63rd minute when winger Rodrigo Riquelme netted the winning goal with a powerful left-footed strike from inside the penalty area, beating goalkeeper Alex Remiro and setting the La Cartuja stands alight.
Betis then looked to double their advantage in the following minutes, but forward Antony squandered a simple chance that could have settled the match early in the hosts' favor. On the other side, Real Sociedad tried to level the score through Takefusa Kubo and Mikel Oskarsson, but their attacks ran into solid defensive organization from the home side, allowing Betis to preserve their lead until the final whistle.
The Lineups
Pellegrini fielded a side featuring Valles in goal, a back four of Bellerin, Bartra, Natan, and Fran Garcia, with Bernal and Roca operating in midfield, while a front four of Antony, Fornals, Riquelme, and Hernandez led the attack.
Real Sociedad, in turn, lined up with Alex Remiro in goal, a defensive line of Aramburu, Zubeldia, Jon Martin, and Gomez, Sucic and Herrera in midfield, and an attacking trio of Kubo, Soler, and Barrenetxea supporting striker Oskarsson. Left-back Alvaro Odriozola was absent from the squad, currently undergoing rehabilitation from a knee injury that will keep him sidelined until November.
Reading the Performance
The victory was a deserved one for Real Betis, who showed a marked improvement in the second half and converted their edge into a decisive goal — a performance that saw midfielder Pablo Fornals named Man of the Match for his role in linking the team's lines and creating chances. Real Sociedad, meanwhile, extended their poor away run, now without a win on the road for seven consecutive matches — a trend that should prompt serious reflection from the Basque club's technical staff before the crisis deepens as the competition progresses.
With this result, Real Betis opens the season with three important points that provide an early morale boost, while Real Sociedad find themselves needing to react quickly to correct course before their away-form crisis becomes a heavy burden on their ambitions this season.
