Crazy ping-pong match sees Valencia share spoils with Real Betis in thrilling draw

Real Betis (2)	Valencia (2)
Nabil Fekir 12′ Sergio Canales 42′	Goncalo Guedes 22′ Carlos Soler 61′ (P)

It’s late in the season, the club sits in the middle of the table and there is little to play for. In situations like these, you either get a dull stalemate or a crazy swinger of a game.

Against Real Betis, sitting pretty in 6th, Valencia showed that there was still fire in their bellies and bubbling potential beneath.

Los Che came back twice to seal a 2-2 draw against Real Betis at the Estadio Benito Villamarin in Seville.

Nabil Fekir drew first blood for Los Verdiblancos, pouncing on a loose ball and volleying into into the top right corner, following a corner routine in the 12^th minute.

But Goncalo Guedes, who has found some form over the past few games, pulled the team level with some precision shooting. After a smart pass from Uros Racic, which took out two defenders, the Portuguese skipped past Emerson and snapped shot a low drive outside the box into the corner of the net, a move he executed while falling down.

Then he promptly celebrated with a hand gesture that looked like he was plucking a… flower?

Real Betis took the lead after two former Los Che players combined in another flowery move in the 42^nd minute. Another set-piece routine saw the youthful 39-year-old Joaquin play a simple pass to Sergio Canales, who smashed a volley past Jaume Domenech. It always hurts when former players turn up against us.

But our current batch of players were not ready to give up. Trailing 2-1 at half-time, we managed to equalise again in the 61st minute, this time with a penalty. Alex Moreno clearly handled the ball in the box, allowing Carlos Soler to step up to score his 7th league penalty of the season.

With our tails up, the boys chased a winner against a team looking for European qualification. Yes, we have nothing to play for this season, but the badge should be enough motivation for any player.

Substitute and loanee Patrick Cutrone looked to impress and tried a number of crosses and shots. He even had a goal that was ruled offside during the build-up. But it was too little, too late. Had the assault started earlier, we might have won.

Said Soler simply: “It was a crazy game, I think this point is deserved for both sides.”

We will head off to face Osasuna on Wednesday. Play for the badge boys, that’s all we are asking for.