Antony starred again as Real Betis beat Lyon at home yesterday. The Brazilian recorded his 4th goal contribution in 2 matches as the Spanish side beat the French outfit.
Cedric Bakambu started up front for Betis, with Antony and Abde Ezzalzouli on either side and Giovanni Lo Celso in attacking midfield. For Lyon, Marcus Satriano started up front, Enzo Molebe and Adam Karabec on either side of the attack and Khalis Merah in attacking midfield.
The match was another fascinating study in contrasting styles of possession and counter attack that ultimately turned on a brief, clinical burst from the home side. While Lyon arrived in Seville with a reputation for tight defense and a perfect group-stage record, the 90 minutes told a story of Betis’s defensive discipline and efficiency in attack.
The opening phase of the game saw Lyon dominate possession, controlling roughly two-thirds of the ball, demonstrating their intent to build play methodically from the back. For the first 20 minutes, Real Betis was content to sit deep in a compact defensive shape, allowing Lyon’s midfielders to circulate the ball without penetrating the final third. Despite this early control, Lyon struggled to fashion clear-cut opportunities. Their play was often neat but lacked the decisive final pass to break down the resilient Betis back line, marshaled by Diego Llorente and Natan.
The first true threat came on 20 minutes from the less-dominant Betis side, showcasing their preference for quick transitions, Antony tested Lyon goalkeeper Dominik Greif with a left-footed shot from outside the box but the keeper was up to the task.
The match’s tone began to shift around the 24th minute when Lyon defender Abner Vinícius received the first booking of the night for a foul on Antony. This minor lapse in discipline seemed to break Lyon’s concentration, and Betis immediately took advantage. In the 26th minute, Antony tested the defense again, forcing a blocked shot, a warning shot of the pressure that was mounting.
The deadlock soon after broken. In the 29th minute, Betis won a corner. From the resulting set-piece, Cédric Bakambu flicked on a header, which fell directly to Abdessamad Ezzalzouli who capitalized on the chaos to score, making it 1-0. Lyon, still reeling, compounded their error just five minutes later. After a set-piece situation, midfielder Marc Roca played a precise long pass into the box for Antony, who broke the defensive line and scored with a clinical left-footed lob over the keeper. At 2-0 down inside 35 minutes, Lyon’s perfect European defensive record was shattered.
Lyon attempted to respond before the break, notably with Enzo Molébé forcing a save from Betis keeper Álvaro Valles in the 44th minute, and defender Ruben Kluivert missing a near-post header wide just before the whistle, but the damage was done. The half-time score of 2-0 stood as a testament to Betis’s ruthlessness, four shots on target resulting in two goals.
The second half saw Lyon’s coach Paulo Fonseca react immediately with a double substitution, bringing on the attacking presence of Afonso Moreira and the experienced left-back Nicolás Tagliafico. The changes immediately led to more pressure, as Lyon continued to pile up passes and possession, increasing their territory dominance.
However, Betis successfully adapted, dropping deeper and tightening the space. Despite taking seven shots in the second half, Lyon failed to register a single clear-cut chance, as Betis’s central defense partnership of Diego Llorente and Natan proved impenetrable. Lyon’s attacks often resulted in hurried or wayward shots, such as attempts by Mathys de Carvalho and Khalis Merah
Betis effectively managed the game clock and frustrated Lyon, even as the referee was forced to intervene repeatedly. The physicality of the game escalated, leading to three yellow cards in the final 20 minutes.
Betis coach Manuel Pellegrini introduced fresh legs in the midfield and attack around the 65th minute, bringing on Sergi Altimira for Giovani Lo Celso. This was closely followed by a Lyon triple substitution, including the introduction of Pavel Šulc and Tyler Morton.
The only truly notable attacking sequence from Lyon came around the hour mark, where a shot from Mathys de Carvalho forced another save from the excellent Álvaro Valles. Betis then nearly added a third on 74 minutes when Pablo Fornals forced another fine save from Dominik Greif, who tipped the effort wide.
The final quarter of the match descended into a scrappy affair marked by substitutions designed to kill time and secure the result for Betis. Chimy Ávila and Nelson Deossa came on for Betis, while Lyon’s late attempt to push forward resulted only in a series of fouls and bookings for Nicolás Tagliafico, Afonso Moreira, and Aitor Ruibal in stoppage time.
The final whistle confirmed the 2-0 victory for Real Betis. Lyon finished with a staggering 66% possession and six corners, but crucially, just three shots on target. Betis, despite their low possession count, demonstrated a masterful ability to absorb pressure and deliver swift, fatal blows, securing three vital points in the Europa League campaign and ending Lyon’s impressive clean sheet streak.
