- Ez Abde and Antony scored for Betis, giving the Spaniards a solid first-leg lead
- Luca Ranieri’s second-half goal kept Fiorentina’s hopes alive ahead of next week’s return leg
- Mark Bartra missed two clear chances to extend Betis’ lead in Seville
Key Takeaways:
Real Betis earned a hard-fought 2:1 win at home against Fiorentina in the first leg of their Conference League semifinal clash. The Spanish side dominated large stretches at Benito Villamarin and looked set for a more commanding lead after goals from Ez Abde in the 7th minute and Antony in the 64th. However, Fiorentina captain Luca Ranieri pulled one back in the 73rd minute to keep the Italians in contention before the return leg in Florence.
Betis started the game with intense pressure and took the lead early. Cedric Bakambu broke into the box and squared the ball perfectly for Ez Abde, who fired against the crossbar with the ball bouncing over the line. Referee Michael Oliver awarded the goal after a short delay, despite protests from the visiting bench.
ANTONY WITH A SENSATIONAL STRIKE WITH HIS RIGHT FOOT FROM OUTSIDE THE BOX TO GIVE REAL BETIS THE 2-0 LEAD IN THE CONFERENCE LEAGUE SEMIFINAL 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Eu0aPngTOW
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) May 1, 2025
The home side pushed for more and nearly doubled their lead through Isco, who missed the target. Fiorentina gradually settled and created a big chance in the 21st minute when Rolando Mandragora headed wide from Robin Gosens’ cross.
Betis stayed dangerous on the counter, with Johnny Cardoso and Bakambu threatening, although one promising attack was cut short by an offside call. In the 39th minute, Antony missed a golden opportunity to set up Bakambu again, and Mark Bartra sent a header just over before halftime.
Shortly after the break, Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson was denied by Betis keeper Vieites, though the move was ultimately flagged offside. Bartra then forced a save from David de Gea with another header.
Betis continued to press and in the 64th minute, after a blocked shot, Antony blasted the rebound high into the net to make it 2:0. The hosts could have scored a third soon after, but Pablo Fornals fired straight at De Gea after a clever assist from Bakambu.
Fiorentina responded with substitutions, including Amir Richardson and Michael Folorunsho. In the 73rd minute, Gosens pulled the ball back from a tight angle for Ranieri, who reduced the deficit with a calm finish.
In the final minutes, Nicolo Zaniolo entered the match for the visitors, while Bartra missed yet another chance to score with a header. Despite a tense finish, Betis held on to their narrow lead, leaving everything to play for at Artemio Franchi next week.