Real Betis go top in La Liga
September 23rd, 2011 - 1:26 pm ICT by IANSMadrid, Sep 23 (IANS) Real Betis Football Club reached the top of the Spanish La Liga after a thrilling 4-3 win at home to Zaragoza Thursday.
Betis only returned to the La Liga this season and the win means they have 12 points from four games after winning their first four matches of the season, a first in their history.
They got off to a flying start as Roque Santa Cruz scored after just six minutes and doubled their lead when Santi Sevilla scored six minutes later.
Zaragoza got a lifeline following an error from Betis keeper Casto Espinosa that allowed Efran Juarez to prod home before the break. However, Betis scored twice in the first four minutes of the second half to apparently put the game out of race, the Xinhua reported.
Benat Exteberria scored another penalty following a handball in the area and Santa Cruz took advantage of some poor defence to head home his second of the night.
It looked all over, but Casto was shown a red card after bringing down Luis Garcia with 20 minutes remaining to leave his side to hold out with 10 men.
Zaragoza substitute Juan Carlos Perez then scored twice in two minutes to produce a thrilling finale, but Betis were able to hold on to their nerves.
Espanyol began the day with a 1-0 win over Getafe. Substitute Walter Pandiani scored in injury time to maintain his side’s 100 percent record so far in the season.
- Barca five points behind Real after draw against Espanyol - Jan 09, 2012
- Villarreal back to winning ways in Primera Liga - Sep 21, 2011
- Valencia hold Barcelona to 2-2 draw - Sep 22, 2011
- Barcelona beat Sporting Gijon to top Spanish League - Oct 03, 2011
- Real Madrid extend La Liga lead - Nov 21, 2011
- Real Madrid on brink of La Liga title - Apr 30, 2012
- Barcelona blank Zaragoza in La Liga, Real Madrid beat Valencia - Nov 20, 2011
- Real Madrid's lead shrinks to four points - Apr 09, 2012
- Barcelona move closer to Real Madrid with 4-1 win - Apr 08, 2012
- Struggling Betis coach receives club's vote of confidence - Dec 06, 2011
- Real Madrid come from behind to win against Mallorca - Jan 15, 2012
- Barcelona win easy in La Liga, Real maintain 10-point lead - Feb 20, 2012
- Espanyol sign striker Sergio Garcia from Betis - Aug 17, 2010
- Real Madrid steer seven points clear of Barcelona - Jan 29, 2012
- Real Madrid return to top with 6-2 thrashing of Sevilla - Dec 18, 2011
Tags: espinosa, four games, four minutes, handball, injury time, juan carlos perez, juarez, lifeline, luis garcia, nerves, poor defence, real betis football club, roque santa cruz, santi, sevilla, six minutes, spanish la liga, two minutes, walter pandiani, xinhua