LaLiga : Club undo a massive work after the break as if they were paid to do so

Elche were not outright favourite to beat Real Betis when both lockhorns in the curtain raiser of the LaLiga round 23 on Friday night at the Manuel Martinez Valero Stadium, their home ground.

However, fortune shone on them in the opening ten minutes and they found themselves 2-0 up thanks to a penalty converted by Fidel Chaves and Lucas Boye shot from outside the area.

It was the first time they've gone two up (before conceding) in a LaLiga match this season and they were able to keep Manuel Pellegrini’s minions at bay until the half-time break.

Elche were so good at sustaining pressure in the first half that Betis could not get a reward for their nine shots attempted in the half. All two big chances Betis had in the game all came in the first half and all were thwarted by Elche Goalkeeper, Edgar Badia.

However, after the players made their way back to the pitch for the second half, it was a very different story for the host, one that says much as to why they are bottom in the standing, with one win from 22 games.

First, Lisandro Magallan was penalized for blocking the ball with his hand, earning him a red card as he was the last man before Betis midfielder, Nabil Fekir is through on goal.

In the heat of the moment, Pape Cheikh, the Senegalese midfielder, who was on the bench also earned himself a red card for interfering with the officials.

Seven minutes later, Tete Morente conceded a penalty, giving Borja Iglesias the chance to half the deficit for Betis. The Spanish striker made no mistake, converting for his tenth league goal this season.

Three minutes later, they conceded a rather cheap goal as Juan Miranda's cross evaded the legs of both Borja Iglesias and that of Elche's defender, Enzo Roco, leaving a helpless Badia watching it roll into the back of his net.

It was 22 minutes to the end of the match and Betis appeared to have nothing much to do but wait on the next mistake from their opponent and get the next goal.

And of course, Elche again were kind. Just four minutes before the end of the 90, Enzo Roco was penalized for a handball in the box, when neither or nor his Goalkeeper was under pressure.

Borja Iglesias stepped up for the chance to score his second penalty goal of the night but was denied by a big hand from Badia. The striker also failed to get enough contact on the rebound and Elche survived that time.

However, they would ended up surrendering all the points to the visitors late on as Roco conceded another penalty, earning himself a red card for a second bookable offence.

Former Real Madrid striker, William Jose converts this time to put Betis ahead for the first time late in the game and it finished with Betis leaving with their third win on the bounce while the host's losing run reaches a third.

Despite dishing out three red cards and five yellows on the night, all going the way of the host but a yellow to the visitors, and awarding four penalties, it didn't look as though referee, Javier Iglesias had the intentions of impacting the game with such decisions.

Elche will only have themselves to blame for allowing Betis back into the game due to reasons put together that have them placed 20th in the league this season.

Pablo Manchin’s side are now 13 points below safety and a team that finished 13th last season will now need more than a miracle to escape going down this term.

Now it can be said that it is inevitable, it is just a matter of time that their relegation status is confirmed.

Author : Kehinde Hassan Afolabi