Betis Cruise Past Zagreb With Clinical First-Half Display

Real Betis arrived at Maksimir Stadium knowing victory would cement their place among Europe's elite, sitting comfortably in 5th place with an unbeaten record. For Dinamo Zagreb, languishing in 23rd position with just seven points, this represented a last-gasp opportunity to salvage their Europa League campaign. The Spanish visitors delivered a masterclass in clinical finishing, securing a comprehensive 1-3 victory that left the Croatian champions' continental dreams in tatters.

The Maksimir faithful watched in stunned silence as their team capitulated spectacularly during a devastating seven-minute spell in the first half. Sergi Domínguez inadvertently broke the deadlock in the 31st minute, deflecting the ball into his own net under pressure from Betis attackers. The floodgates opened immediately as Rodrigo Riquelme swept home a perfectly weighted through ball from Cédric Bakambu just three minutes later, slotting his right-footed effort into the bottom left corner. Antony completed the first-half demolition in the 38th minute, unleashing a thunderous left-footed drive from outside the box that nestled in the center of the goal, leaving goalkeeper Bruno Goda helpless.

The tactical battle became increasingly one-sided as Betis controlled proceedings with surgical precision. Diego Llorente and Natan marshaled the defense superbly, while Sergi Altimira dictated tempo from midfield alongside the industrious Nelson Deossa. Zagreb's attacking duo of Dion Beljo and Fran Topic struggled to find space against Betis' well-organized defensive structure, with the visitors' pressing game suffocating any creative spark from the hosts.

Betis dominated possession with 58.2% of the ball and registered five shots on target compared to Zagreb's two, reflecting their superior quality throughout. The visitors' 15 total attempts highlighted their attacking intent, while Zagreb's desperate late surge produced eight shots but lacked the precision to trouble Álvaro Valles seriously. Four yellow cards flew as frustrations boiled over, with Bruno Goda and Dejan Ljubicic cautioned for Zagreb's increasingly desperate challenges.

The turning point came during that catastrophic first-half collapse when Zagreb's defensive organization completely disintegrated. Manager's tactical adjustments at halftime, introducing Sandro Kulenovic for Beljo, provided more attacking impetus but couldn't address the fundamental defensive frailties that had already decided the contest.

Niko Galesic's 89th-minute header from Miha Zajc's corner provided a fleeting moment of hope for the home crowd, but it arrived far too late to alter the outcome. The nervy final minutes saw Cédric Bakambu strike the crossbar from close range, nearly adding further gloss to Betis' impressive display.

Dinamo Zagreb host FCSB on January 22nd desperately needing points to avoid European embarrassment, while Real Betis return to domestic action against Rayo Vallecano on December 15th with confidence soaring after this commanding continental performance.