First Division - Day 18

Valladolid 0 - Betis 0

Valladolid: Bizzarri; Torres Gómez, Peña, Caminero (Pablo Paz 10'), Jonathan; Jesús, Ricchetti; Fernando Sales, Oscar González, Zapata (Chema 65'); Losada (Cardetti 88'). 4-2-3-1.
Betis: Contreras; Varela, Juanito, Rivas, Luis Fernández; Ito, Arzu; Joaquín, Capi (Fernando 81'), Denilson (Ismael 77'); Tote (Alfonso 65'). 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Valladolid: Peña, Jesús, Zapata, Losada for Julio César, Marcos, Sousa, Makukula / Betis: Luis Fernández, Arzu, Denilson, Tote for Lembo, Fernando, Ismael, Dani.

Goals: None.

Betis are still having trouble getting away from the lower half of the table, although they did scrape another point in a 0-0 draw at Valladolid. The home side were missing four players through suspension, including their top scorer Makukula, and Losada was given a rare start up front. Denilson returned for the visitors as did Tote, and Alfonso was in the squad for the first time in several months, the ex Real Madrid and Barcelona international striker making his reappearance in the second half after a long lay-off with a serious ankle injury.

The locals had the better chances in a lively first half, with an Oscar header against the post in the tenth minute their best effort. Conteras saved at point blank range from Losada, and at the other end Bizzarri stopped Tote from scoring after good work by Capi. By now Betis were back in the match, and soon after the restart Capi headed Denilson's cross wide with the goal at his mercy. Losada could have won it for Fernando Vázquez's side though, but he came up against Contreras again in the final minutes.