Fornals and Altimira Strike as Real Betis Claim Derby Bragging Rights Over Sevilla

Real Betis emerged victorious in the Seville derby, outclassing hosts Sevilla 2–0 on Sunday evening in a tense but compelling contest at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.

The opening half was cagey, physical and littered with half-chances, but neither side found a breakthrough before the interval. Sevilla struggled to create clear openings, while Betis remained compact and patient, waiting for the chances that would eventually tilt the derby in their favour.

The second half, however, belonged entirely to Los Verdiblancos.

Just nine minutes after the restart, Betis struck through Pablo Fornals, who showed composure and precision in the box. A clever move saw the ball fall kindly to the midfielder, and he guided a right-footed finish into the bottom-left corner to make it 1–0 in the 54th minute. It was the moment that cracked the contest open and silenced the home crowd.

With Sevilla chasing the game, Betis sensed blood. Their control was rewarded again in the 68th minute when Sergi Altimira produced a stunning finish. After a set-piece breakdown, the midfielder pounced on a loose ball on the left side of the area and curled a beautiful left-footed effort into the top corner — a goal worthy of any derby highlight reel.

Things went from bad to worse for Sevilla in the 84th minute when Isaac Romero was shown a straight red card, sealing their frustrations on a night where little went right. Down to 10 men, the home side never looked close to a comeback, and Betis comfortably saw out the remaining minutes.

By full-time, the scoreboard read 2–0, reflecting Betis’ sharpness in attack and Sevilla’s continued struggles in a season where consistency has eluded them.

The victory lifts Real Betis’ spirits and keeps them well-placed in the LaLiga standings, while Sevilla are left with yet another difficult result to digest and plenty of questions heading into their next fixture.