Betis 2 - Albacete 1

Betis: Doblas; Varela, Juanito, Rivas, Luis Fernández; Arzu (Melli 92'), Marcos Assunçao; Joaquín (Denilson 62'), Edu, Fernando (Benjamín 68'); Oliveira. 4-2-3-1.
Albacete: Valbuena; Santi, Buades, Mingo, Peña; Alvaro Rubio (David Sánchez 46'), Viaud; Redondo, Momo, Mark González (Mikel 75'); Rubén Castro (Peralta 64'). 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Betis: Varela for Melli / Albacete: Buades, Alvaro Rubio, Viaud, Redondo, Momo, Rubén Castro for Oscar Montiel, Gaspar, Peralta, Pacheco, Mikel, Francisco.

Goals:
1-0. 17. Rivas. Header in off bar after Arzu played ball into penalty area.
2-0. 59. Assunçao. Picked up loose ball outside area and fired shot into top of net.
2-1. 75. Mark González. Glancing header into far corner from Peralta free kick.

With Villareal's match against Osasuna postponed, Betis moved up to third place thanks to a 2-1 win over struggling Albacete. Serra Ferrer's side took the lead just after the quarter hour mark when Rivas got on the end of Arzu's cross to head in off the bar, keeper Valbuena unable to stop the ball crossing the line. And the Andalusians could have been further ahead by the break, Fernando heading just wide and Marcos Assunçao firing a shot against the post on the stroke of half time.

The Brazilian midfielder did beat Valbuena early in the second half with a shot from outside of the area to put his side two up, but Mark González headed one back from Peralta's free kick a quarter of an hour from the end. Betis closed up shop after that though, and Assunçao could have finished things off when he struck the post again with a late free kick. The result leaves Albacete seven points adrift of safety, down in next to bottom spot. Betis themselves have now won nine out of their last ten home games, and are finally on track for a return to European competitions.