Sevilla claimed a commanding 4-0 victory over Real Valladolid at the Estadio José Zorrilla, moving provisionally into the top half of LaLiga standings. The star of the match was Juanlu Sánchez, who netted a brace, adding two goals to his tally and doubling his all-time LaLiga goal count in a stellar performance.
Valladolid, who have been struggling at the bottom of the table, went into the match eight points from safety and with the league's highest number of shots conceded. The game began disastrously for the hosts, as Sevilla took the lead in the 4th minute. Rubén Vargas made a darting run down the left flank, delivering an inswinging cross into the box. Juanlu reacted quickest, side-footing the ball into the far corner via a deflection off Antonio Candela, marking his ninth goal in his last ten away games. Juanlu nearly doubled his tally in the 20th minute, forcing Valladolid keeper Karl Hein to tip his shot onto the post.
The early momentum was temporarily halted, but Valladolid tried to regain composure. In the closing stages of the first half, Juanmi Latasa had a chance to equalize but could only head wide from a cross. Sevilla punished the miss right before halftime, doubling their advantage in the 45th minute. A misplaced pass from Candela allowed Sevilla to capitalize, as José Ángel Carmona orchestrated a move that ended with Isaac Romero smashing an unstoppable strike into the top-left corner from distance.
The second half began with less drama, but Sevilla had several chances to increase their lead. Dodi Lukébakio first fired wide from the edge of the box and then saw his header comfortably saved by Hein. Valladolid had their own opportunity around the 70-minute mark, but Vargas wasted the chance, firing wildly over the crossbar despite being unmarked.
Sevilla's dominance was confirmed soon after. After Juanmi’s shot was cleared off the line and a handball claim by Adrià Pedrosa was rejected, Lukébakio burst forward and set up Juanlu for his second goal, as the Sevilla forward confidently struck past Hein. Valladolid showed little response, and Sevilla sealed their win in the 84th minute. Lukébakio, who had been involved in earlier chances, finally got on the scoresheet, calmly finishing a square ball from Chidera Ejuke inside the box.
Elsewhere, Real Betis earned a dominant 3-0 victory over Real Sociedad at the Estadio Benito Villamarín, securing their first win over their opponents in five encounters. The result was crucial for Betis, who had been languishing in mid-table, only six points behind the top five and seven above the relegation zone. However, it was a night to forget for Sociedad, who were reduced to nine men during the match.
The opening stages were largely uneventful, with both teams playing with high intensity but lacking clear chances. The turning point came in the 22nd minute when Sociedad's Igor Zubeldia was sent off for a foul on Jésus Rodríguez, who was through on goal. With the numerical advantage, Betis capitalized shortly after the break.
In the 55th minute, Antony, who has found his form since joining on loan from Manchester United, broke the deadlock with a superb strike. Just five minutes later, Betis doubled their lead, as Rodríguez's shot was deflected into the path of Marc Roca, who made no mistake from close range. Roca, a substitute, sealed the win with a second goal in the 73rd minute, driving a low shot into the bottom corner from outside the box.
Sociedad's misery continued when they were reduced to nine men in the 85th minute following a reckless challenge by Sheraldo Becker on Ángel Ortiz. The final moments of the game were a procession, with Betis comfortably managing possession while Sociedad struggled to hold on.
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