Betis break Fiorentina hearts to reach Conference League final
FLORENCE, Italy :Abde Ezzalzouli emerged as Real Betis' hero on Thursday after he netted an extra-time winner to make them the first Spanish side to reach the Conference League final with a 4-3 aggregate victory over Fiorentina, setting up a showdown with Premier League side Chelsea.
While Betis were celebrating reaching their first European final after the second leg ended in a 2-2 draw, Fiorentina were left to digest further disappointment in the competition as they bowed out in the semi-finals following back-to-back final defeats.
The Italian hosts faced an uphill task of overturning a first-leg deficit after Betis won 2-1 in Seville last week and struggled to make any impact during the early exchanges.
Betis increased their advantage when Antony scored on the half-hour mark with a stunning free-kick, curling the ball over the wall and in off the post.
However, just four minutes later, Fiorentina hit back as an unmarked Robin Gosens rose to meet a corner, calmly steering a header into the far corner to the delight of the cheering home fans.
Three minutes before the break, Gosens struck again as he rose above Betis defender Marc Bartra and powered a header into the near top corner from yet another corner, completing a dramatic first-half turnaround for Fiorentina.
The action did not let up and just before the break Betis' Johnny Cardoso unleashed a rocket from the edge of the box that thundered off the crossbar and flew over, leaving the crowd gasping.
Antony nearly snatched a late equaliser for Betis minutes before full time, pouncing on a loose pass to race through one-on-one with David De Gea who pulled off a stunning double save.
It took seven minutes of extra time before Antony managed to send a cross past De Gea and into the path of an onrushing Ezzalzouli, who easily scored from close range.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Independent Singapore
2 hours ago
- Independent Singapore
Carlos Alcaraz wins the French Open by saving 3 match points in the longest final ever
PARIS, FRANCE: Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz won his fifth Grand Slam title in an intense match at the Roland-Garros final against World No. 1 Jannik Sinner. The young athlete saved three championship points and came back to defeat Sinner with a final scoreline of 4-6, 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(3), 7-6(10-2). With this achievement, Alcaraz became the third man in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam after saving match points, joining Gaston Gaudio (in the 2004 French Open) and Novak Djokovic (in the 2019 Wimbledon final). Moreover, Alcaraz became the ninth man in the Open Era to come back from two sets down to win a major final. Alcaraz expressed after his win: 'I just want to say thank you for everything to my team and family… I have the privilege to be able to live great things with you. I was lucky to have a lot of people who came from Murcia, from home, to support me. It is just amazing support you gave me today, during the whole two weeks, [including] the people who weren't able to come but are at home. Thank you very much, and this trophy is yours as well, so thank you.' Highlights of the finals match This year's 2025 Roland-Garros final match was the most exciting yet in the growing rivalry between Alcaraz and Sinner. It was their first time playing in a Grand Slam final, and it became the longest in Roland Garros history, lasting five hours and 29 minutes. Twenty-two-year-old Carlos Alcaraz showed his fighting spirit in the final and deciding set. He had a chance to win the match at 5-4 but failed to seal the victory. Regardless, he stayed focused and gave his very best. After nearly five hours of hard-fought tennis, Alcaraz gave it his all in the final tie-break, and he hit four great winners. On championship point, he hit an amazing forehand while running full speed. The ball flew down the line, past Sinner, who could only watch as it landed perfectly in. Sinner admitted after the game: 'First of all, Carlos, congrats. An amazing performance, an amazing battle, amazing everything,' said Sinner at the trophy ceremony. 'To you and your team, amazing job. I'm very happy for you, and you deserve it.' See also Coach Ivanisevic leaves Rybakina after Australian Open loss This win marks Alcaraz's 37th of the season, a number more than any other player has done so far. He also improved his record against Sinner to 8 wins and 4 losses, winning their last five matches in a row. Furthermore, Alcaraz has now won all five Grand Slam finals he has played. With his fifth major title, he is the third-youngest man ever to do this feat, following only Bjorn Borg (age 21) and Rafael Nadal (age 22). In a social media post, the young athlete shared his achievement with his fans. Netizens showed their support in the comments section and remarked: '👏 👏 👏 👏 👏 Congratulations!!! Match and victory for history (translated),' 'Unbelievable comeback!!!Congratulations legend 🥹🏆,' and 'Thank you so much for the most wonderful match. It made people deeply understand what is perseverance, what is never giving up means, and that anything is possible! I believe this is the most precious spirit in sports. Your championship is well-deserved. Congratulations again! Alcaraz!🏆🔥'
CNA
5 hours ago
- CNA
Germany building something special, says Nagelsmann after defeat by France
Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann said his side are still trying to close the gap on the top teams in the world after their 2-0 Nations League defeat by France on Sunday but he was confident they are building something special. Goals from Kylian Mbappe and Michael Olise earned France the victory and third place in the Nations League. Nagelsmann saw improvement in his side from their 2-1 semi-final defeat by Portugal on Wednesday. "If we perform like we did today and don't take a step back against the teams in the World Cup qualifiers, then hopefully, we'll march through and prepare well," he told reporters. "Of course, we're still a few percentage points behind where we want to be, and behind the top teams in the world. We can't tear down the world in a year or two and make up for everything that may not have gone 100 per cent right over several years. "Nevertheless, I sense something in the whole group, both the players and the staff, something special. There's a special touch and a lot of potential still in waiting." Germany, who last won the World Cup in 2014 and have been eliminated in the group stage in the past two editions, are in Group A of Europe's qualifiers for the 2026 tournament in North America. They begin their campaign in September against Slovakia in Bratislava.
CNA
9 hours ago
- CNA
Lewandowski will not play for Poland under current coach after losing captaincy
Robert Lewandowski said he will not play for Poland again under the current manager, shortly after the striker was stripped of the captaincy role on Sunday. Poland coach Michal Probierz made the decision to replace Lewandowski as national team captain with midfielder Piotr Zielinski. "By decision of coach Michal Probierz, Piotr Zielinski became the new captain of the Polish national team," a Polish football federation (PZPN) statement said. "The coach personally informed Robert Lewandowski, the entire team and the training staff of his decision." Lewandowski's response via social media was swift. "Considering the circumstances and the loss of trust in the Polish national team coach, I have decided to step back from playing for the Polish national team as long as he remains the coach," Lewandowski said. "I hope I will have the chance to play again for the best fans in the world." Lewandowski is not with the current Poland squad, with the Barcelona player citing physical and mental exhaustion after a long season as the reason for his absence. The 36-year-old is Poland's highest goal scorer with 85 goals for his country in a record 158 appearances, and had held the captaincy since 2014. Probierz replaced the sacked Fernando Santos as Poland manager in 2023, taking them to Euro 2024 where his side were the first team to be eliminated. The PZPN said Probierz will respond to questions on the situation in a press conference on Monday. Poland defeated Moldova 2-0 in a friendly on Friday and are away to Finland in a World Cup qualifier on Tuesday.
