Inaki Williams leads side with two assists as Athletic Club beat Real Betis

[p]The hosts had failed to score in their previous three games, but they looked threatening from the outset and created two clear chances in the opening four minutes.[/p][p]First, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/laporte-aymeric/SYnaB65s/"]Aymeric Laporte[/a] threw himself at [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/berenguer-alejandro/nuQn903r/"]Alex Berenguer[/a]’s cross and flashed a header wide of the far post, before Berenguer’s low effort from 15 yards was saved by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lopez-pau/rZes9CKA/"]Pau Lopez[/a], who then smothered Iñaki  Williams’ follow-up.[/p][p]That long-awaited goal finally arrived in the 25th minute, and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ath-bilbao/IP5zl0cJ/"]Athletic[/a] had an unlikely source to thank, as Williams set up centre back [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/vivian-daniel/x2fvXYO7/"]Dani Vivian[/a] to open his account for the season with a low effort into the far corner from the edge of the box.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/betis/vJbTeCGP/"]Betis[/a] had thrashed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/panathinaikos/SENMmweG/"]Panathinaikos[/a] 4-0 in the UEFA Europa League less than 72 hours earlier, but they were toothless here, as manager Manuel Pellegrini cut a frustrated figure on the touchline in his 300th game in charge.[/p][p]And the Chilean’s mood would have darkened further on the stroke of half-time when Williams claimed another assist, with the striker springing the offside trap and pulling the ball back for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sancet-ohian/hpZLKZVC/"]Oihan Sancet[/a] to tuck his fifth goal of the campaign into an empty net.[/p][image alt="Athletic Club - Betis match momentum" id="ba9a9d39-b07c-4f3f-a0f7-b691619ad88a" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="529d059c-9c2f-4243-a2d5-3553eef80585" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]In response to Athletic’s lead – only their second in 15 LaLiga games – Pellegrini made a triple change at half-time, bringing on [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bellerin-hector/pxq49QlK/"]Hector Bellerín[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/altimira-sergi/4rf7A6PR/"]Sergi Altimira[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fornals-pablo/CfghB0gf/"]Pablo Fornals[/a] for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ortiz-angel/Yk0XqSak/"]Angel Ortiz[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/roca-marc/0SJZRycC/"]Marc Roca[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/antony/dIe4SZEK/"]Antony[/a]. [/p][p]But [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/lille/pfDZL71o/"]Los Verdiblancos[/a] nearly went 3-0 down nine minutes after the restart, when López flew to his left to tip Berenguer’s long-range strike over the crossbar.[/p][p]Yet, while Athletic continued to look dangerous, Betis also had their moments, and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ez-abde/YRiVcQ3T/"]Abde Ezzalzouli[/a] forced a smart save from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/simon-unai/Ao9Vw3hi/"]Unai Simon[/a] when he raced into the box and fired low towards the near post.[/p][p]That was a warning Athletic failed to heed, and Fornals provided a potential route back for Betis 15 minutes from time, as he curled a stunning free-kick into the top corner from 20 yards, taking his goal tally to seven for the season.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bakambu-cedric/vZ3QJXBc/"]Cedric Bakambu[/a] then prodded beyond Simon two minutes later, but the substitute was denied a fourth goal involvement in six H2Hs after VAR ruled he had strayed offside.[/p][p]Betis’ late rally made it a nervy finale for Athletic, but the hosts saw out a victory that sees them climb to ninth in the table – but just three points shy of the European places. As an added bonus, they can also celebrate a first league double since 2017/18 over Betis, who remain fifth but are now winless in five games in LaLiga (D3, L2).[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/williams-inaki/W4HzaGVn/"]Inaki Williams[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ath-bilbao/IP5zl0cJ/"]Athletic Club[/a])[/b][/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/ath-bilbao-IP5zl0cJ/betis-vJbTeCGP/summary/stats/?mid=bTDl6FdC"]Check out all the match stats with Flashscore.[/a][/p]