Barcelona beat Real Betis 5-2 away to extend perfect La Liga start
Barcelona won 5-2 away at Real Betis in round nine of La Liga, Spain's top football league, for a ninth win in nine matches this season. The Catalan club leads the table, five points ahead of Atletico Madrid.
Barcelona defeated Real Betis 5-2 away in the ninth round of La Liga, Spain's top-flight football league. It was the club's ninth win in nine matches this season, and with 27 points Barcelona remain top of the table.
How the match unfolded
Lamine Yamal opened the scoring in the 10th minute, sending a shot from outside the penalty area into the top corner. Betis midfielder Valentin Gomez levelled in the 27th minute with a header from a cross. Barcelona went back in front in the 41st minute, when Rodri headed in from a corner taken by Fermin Lopez. Late in the first half, a Betis goal was ruled out after a VAR (video assistant referee) check for handball.
In the second half, Gabriel Jesus scored in the 51st minute, and Abde Ezzalzouli pulled one back for Betis in the 53rd. Soon afterwards Betis player Facundo Bernal was sent off, leaving the hosts with ten men. In the 62nd minute Eric Garcia restored the two-goal lead with a header from a Pau Cubarsi pass, and Dani Olmo set the final score at 5-2 in the 81st minute.
Yamal scored and provided an assist in the game, while Cubarsi supplied two assists.
The table
Barcelona's closest challenger is Atletico Madrid with 22 points. Atletico won 1-0 away at Espanyol in the same round, with Alex Baena scoring the decisive goal in the 89th minute despite Atletico having had the greater share of territory throughout the match. Betis are third with 19 points.
