Levante defeats Real Betis 5-2 in La Liga match

Levante put five past Real Betis at Estadi Ciutat de València on August 29, 2026, delivering one of the most lopsided results of the young La Liga season. The 5-2 scoreline flattered nobody. Levante were simply ruthless when it mattered.

The result snapped Betis’ unbeaten run under Manuel Pellegrini, who had guided his side to consecutive victories over Valencia and Real Sociedad in the opening two rounds. Walking into Round 3 with maximum points, Betis looked like early-season contenders.

A first half that had everything

Adrián de la Fuente opened the scoring in the 24th minute for the hosts. Marc Bartra equalized for Betis ten minutes later, pulling the visitors level at 1-1. Enzo Bardeli restored Levante’s advantage in the first minute of stoppage time, only for Rodrigo Riquelme to answer for Betis in the fourth minute of added time. A 2-2 scoreline at the break, with two goals scored after the 45th minute.

Levante’s second-half masterclass

Roger Brugué became the story of the second half, scoring twice to put the game beyond reach. His first came in the 56th minute, restoring Levante’s lead at 3-2. His second arrived in the 70th minute, making it 4-2. Jon Ander Olasagasti added the fifth in the 90th plus fifth minute. Four of the match’s seven goals came during added time across both halves.

The numbers tell a counterintuitive story

Betis dominated possession at 60% compared to Levante’s 40%. Betis also edged the shot count, recording 20 attempts to Levante’s 19. But the expected goals data told a different story. Levante’s xG sat at approximately 2.99, while Betis registered just 1.97. Levante created fewer but significantly higher-quality chances, while Betis’ possession amounted to a lot of passing without enough penetration. Levante then outperformed even their own xG by two full goals.

Context and consequences

Levante entered this match off a draw in their previous league outing. For Betis, conceding five goals to a team with less possession and fewer shots suggests structural problems rather than individual errors. Bartra’s goal and Riquelme’s late first-half equalizer were bright spots in an otherwise difficult night for the Betis backline.

Referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea presided over a match that produced seven goals, with four scored in stoppage time across both halves.

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