A close match at Mestalla concluded with Valencia and Betis finishing level at 1-1 in the 12th round of La Liga.
Betis took the lead with Juan Hernández scoring in the 73rd minute of the second half. Valencia responded swiftly, with Luis Rioja equalizing just four minutes later in the 81st minute.
The crowd erupted as Luis Rioja showcased an impressive individual effort, firing a powerful shot from the right side of the box that nestled in beside the right post of goalkeeper Álvaro Valles Rosa.
Sofyan Amrabat was the standout performer of the match, completing a remarkable 108 successful passes for Betis.
Moreover, Luis Rioja made significant contributions to Valencia, scoring one goal, attempting two shots on target, and making six accurate passes.
Coach Carlos Corberán set Valencia up in a 4-5-1 formation with Julen Agirrezabala in goal; Thierry Correia, César Tárrega, José Copete, and José Luis Gayà in defense; Javi Guerra, Pepelu, Diego López, Arnaut Danjuma, and André Almeida in midfield; with Lucas Beltrán leading the attack.
On the other side, Manuel Pellegrini’s Betis lined up in a 4-5-1 setup featuring Álvaro Valles in goal; Hector Bellerín, Marc Bartra, Natan, and Valentín Gómez in defense; Sofyan Amrabat, Pablo Fornals, Antony, Giovani Lo Celso, and Abde Ezzalzouli in midfield; along with Juan Hernández up front.
The referee for this encounter at Mestalla was Víctor García Verdura.
Looking ahead, Valencia will host Levante in their next match while Betis will face Girona at home.
Following the draw, Valencia remains in 17th place in the standings with 10 points, whereas Betis sits comfortably in 5th with a total of 20 points.
Substitutions for Valencia
67’ 2T – Diego López out for Luis Rioja and Lucas Beltrán out for Hugo Duro
77’ 2T – José Luis Gayà out for Jesús Vázquez and Pepelu out for Baptiste Santamaria
Yellow Cards for Valencia:
23’ 1T José Luis Gayà (Unsportsmanlike behavior), 69’ 2T Pepelu (Unsportsmanlike behavior), 75’ 2T César Tárrega (Arguing with an opponent)
Substitutions for Betis
76’ 2T – Abde Ezzalzouli out for Rodrigo Riquelme, Giovani Lo Celso out for Marc Roca, and André Almeida out for Daniel Raba
91’ 2T – Juan Hernández out for Chimy Ávila
Yellow Cards for Betis:
65’ 2T Natan (Unsportsmanlike behavior), 75’ 2T Abde Ezzalzouli (Arguing with an opponent), 85’ 2T Valentín Gómez (Unsportsmanlike behavior)