Betis won 3-1 away at Dinamo Zagreb, with Antony scoring the goal.

Real Betis defeated Dinamo Zagreb 3-1 in the sixth round of the Europa League classification. Despite playing away at Maksimir Stadium, Manuel Pellegrini's team decided the match in the first half with a series of three goals between the 31st and 38th minutes, including an own goal by Sergi Dominguez, a strike by Rodrigo Riquelme after an assist from Cedric Bakambu, and a cool finish by Antony. The home side only managed to pull one back in the 89th minute through Niko Galesic.

Betis started proactively and quickly put suffocating pressure on Ivan Filipovic's goal. Sergi Altimira and Abde Ezzalzouli repeatedly tested the Dinamo goalkeeper with powerful long-range shots, forcing Filipovic to work hard in the first half. That resistance collapsed in less than 10 minutes.

Key developments

• 31': Sergi Dominguez's attempt to block the shot inadvertently resulted in an own goal, giving Betis the lead.
• 34': Cedric Bakambu played a through pass, setting up Rodrigo Riquelme who finished decisively to make it 2-0.
• 38': Antony capitalizes on a defensive error, steals the ball and scores, making it 3-0 for the visitors.
• 51': Abde Ezzalzouli fell in the penalty area, VAR checked and confirmed there was no penalty for Betis.
• Abde's shot hit the crossbar; Dinamo responded with Josip Misic's long-range shot that went wide of the post and Sandro Kulenovic's header/tap-in that forced Alvaro Valles to make a save.
• 89': Miha Zajc takes a corner kick, Niko Galesic rises high to head the ball in, making it 1-3 for Dinamo Zagreb.

Tactical analysis: Betis broke down the game in 7 minutes.

What Betis does best is their speed in transitioning between attacking and their aggressive pressing in the opponent's half. The opening goal came from a defensive lapse by the home team under pressure, leading to an own goal by Dominguez. Immediately afterwards, Betis exploited the space behind the defenders: Bakambu timed his pass perfectly, and Riquelme moved into the gap between the defenses to unleash a one-touch finish – a typical transitional play.

The third goal was a result of proactive ball-hunting: Antony read the situation, intercepted the ball, and finished coolly. Three consecutive goals showed that Betis not only controlled the mentality after the first half of an away game, but were also extremely effective in forcing their opponents into mistakes.

VAR, the crossbar, and the home team's faint hopes.

At the start of the second half, Abde fell in the penalty area and VAR intervened. The final decision was no penalty for Betis – a morale boost that gave Dinamo hope. However, the woodwork denied Abde afterwards, while efforts from Misic and Kulenovic only resulted in missed opportunities. It wasn't until the 89th minute that Dinamo found a consolation goal from a set piece taken by Miha Zajc.

Selective statistics

• Betis scored 3 goals in 7 minutes (31', 34', 38').
• First half score: Dinamo Zagreb 0-3 Real Betis.
• VAR 51': No penalty for Betis after Abde Ezzalzouli's foul.
• Abde's shot hit the crossbar; Valles made a save against Sandro Kulenovic's strike.
• The goal to make it 1-3 came in the 89th minute: Niko Galesic headed in from a corner kick taken by Miha Zajc.

Goal scoreboard

Impact

Betis' 3-1 victory away at Dinamo Zagreb concluded the sixth round of the Europa League qualifying stage, highlighted by their short-term bursts of form. Compared to their earlier win against FC Utrecht, Manuel Pellegrini's team continued to demonstrate their clinical finishing and ability to capitalize on opponent mistakes. For Mario Kovacevic, the collapse at the end of the first half was the biggest area to address, as Dinamo's second-half efforts only resulted in a consolation goal.