Real Betis have had no shortage of problems at the beginning of this season, but on the pitch things could hardly be in better health.
Los Verdiblancos maintained their 100% record this season with a 1-0 home victory over Osasuna on Friday night. The key turning point came just past the half-hour mark. The visitors pardoned Betis twice in quick succession, before Borja Iglesias bulleted his effort into the roof of the net.
HIGHLIGHTS: #RealBetisOsasuna 1-0
🐼 @BorjaIglesias9 gets his fourth of the season to see @RealBetis_en win their first three matches of the season!#LaLigaSantander | #LaLigaHighlights pic.twitter.com/qY2XlPJWf7
— LaLiga English (@LaLigaEN) August 26, 2022
It leaves Iglesias top of the Pichichi race with four goals in the opening three matches of the season. From that point on Osasuna were tasked with breaking Betis down, something they struggled to do. A late red card for German Pezzella gave them a little more space to work with, but Betis saw the game out well.
Manuel Pellegrini qualified his side’s performance as “very correct in defence”, making the point that “suffering maybe isn’t the word, but knowing how to defend,” as per Mundo Deportivo.
His opposite number Jagoba Arrasate lamented that turning point, calling it a “shame” that they didn’t take the lead, also covered by MD.
Betis sit top of the table on nine points, with only Villarreal (away to Getafe) and Real Madrid (away to Espanyol) capable of overtaking them.