Laliga: Álvaro Valles Stars as Real Betis Come From Behind to Beat Villarreal 2-1

Real Betis came from behind to beat Villarreal 2-1 at Estadio de la Cerámica in La Liga on Monday night, with goalkeeper Álvaro Valles putting in a standout performance to seal the win.

Villarreal took the lead through Gerard Moreno in the 29th minute, finishing off a slick move that started with a clever pass from Renato Veiga. But Betis hit back twice before the break. Cucho Hernández levelled things up in the 39th minute, pouncing on a rebound to score with his left foot, before centre-back Natan completed the turnaround four minutes later, finishing from a corner routine to make it 2-1.

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Villarreal dominated the ball for large parts of the match, ending with 62 percent possession and completing well over 500 passes. But it was Betis who created the better chances, out-shooting the hosts 26 to 14 and testing the goalkeeper 12 times compared to Villarreal's 8. Betis also racked up an expected goals total of 3.52, far higher than Villarreal's 1.89, showing just how much pressure they were able to apply on the counter and from set pieces.

Both goalkeepers had big nights, but it was Valles who stood out. He made seven saves, several of them from inside the box, and finished with a goals-prevented figure of nearly 2, the clearest reason behind the result. He also played his part outside the box, dealing cleanly with balls played over the top and helping Betis settle the game with calm distribution.

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His performance earned him a rating of 9.9, the highest of the match, and he was also voted the fans' player of the game.

Villarreal's Péter Gulácsi also had a strong game between the posts, making 10 saves to keep his side in it. Natan and Gerard Moreno both had solid outings too, with Natan scoring and Moreno netting the opener.

Set pieces played a big role in the result. Villarreal had more corners on the night, seven to Betis's four, yet it was Betis who found the net from one. Villarreal were also hurt by five offside calls compared to just two for Betis, which disrupted several of their attacking moves.

Off the bench, Betis got useful minutes from Dani Ceballos, who was tidy in possession and helped shore up the midfield, while Antony and Nelson Deossa combined for several shots and chances after coming on, even if they could not add to the scoreline themselves.

In the end, Villarreal's control of the ball and territory could not overcome Betis's sharper finishing and, above all, Valles's performance in goal.