Isco Penalty Secures Real Betis Victory Against Feyenoord in Champions League

Real Betis secured a 1–0 victory against Feyenoord on October 21, 2026, courtesy of a second-half penalty converted by Isco Alarcón, maintaining a perfect start to their UEFA Champions League campaign as reported by The World.

La Cartuja Roars for Pellegrini’s Tactical Setup

Nearly 70,000 supporters packed La Cartuja to witness Betis compete in Europe’s premier club competition, a stage the Andalusian club has not frequented in 21 years. Head coach Manuel Pellegrini deployed his full-backs, Héctor Bellerín and Fran García, high up the pitch to execute a aggressive press-and-recover strategy. The opening 45 minutes saw Betis control possession while Feyenoord sought to absorb pressure and launch counter-attacks through Valente and Hadj Moussa.

Feyenoord goalkeeper Ernst proved instrumental in keeping the visitors level, denying an early chance from Parrott after a sharp cut inside against Mármol. Ernst also reacted quickly to block a subsequent volley from Isco following a saved rebound. As the first half drew to a close, the Dutch side pushed deeper, causing the Betis team to suffer until the halftime whistle sounded at 0-0.

Isco Breaks the Deadlock from the Spot

The second half mirrored the tight nature of the opening period until a decisive moment arrived in the penalty area. St. Juste handled the ball clearly, prompting the referee to award a penalty to Betis. Isco stepped up amid absolute silence from the home crowd and fired past the Feyenoord defense to open the scoring.

Following the goal, Feyenoord increased their attacking pressure, testing the Betis backline marshaled by Natan and Marc Bartra. Pellegrini responded to the late onslaught by making tactical substitutions in the 79th term, introducing Giovani Lo Celso and Jhoan Stiven Mendoza Deossa to inject fresh physical presence and lock down the slim advantage until full-time.

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