Real Betis will take a narrow 2-1 lead to Florence after a tightly contested UEFA Conference League semi-final first leg in Seville.
The Spanish side continued their trend of fast starts in Europe, scoring early once again. Cédric Bakambu powered past his marker and set up Abde Ezzalzouli for what should have been a simple finish. The Moroccan hit the underside of the bar, and after a tense wait due to goal-line technology issues, the referee confirmed the ball had crossed the line.
Betis almost made it 2-0 through Isco, but his shot curled just wide. Fiorentina slowly settled, with Mandragora heading just off target. Just before half-time, Marc Bartra missed a golden chance, blasting over after a corner wasn’t cleared.
Fiorentina brought on Moise Kean after the break and nearly equalised through Guðmundsson, but Betis keeper Fran Vieites raced off his line to stop him. At the other end, David de Gea pulled off a brilliant save to deny Bartra’s header.
Betis looked in control when Antony fired a stunning shot into the top corner to make it 2-0. Isco continued to shine, creating a great chance for Pablo Fornals, but the midfielder’s weak finish wasted it.
That miss proved costly, as Fiorentina hit back almost immediately. Robin Gosens set up captain Luca Ranieri, who smashed in a goal to keep the tie alive ahead of next week’s second leg in Florence.
