Betis 3 - Zaragoza 2

Betis: Prats; Melli, Juanito, Rivas, Luis Fernández; Arzu, Marcos Assunçao; Joaquín (Benjamín 80'), Fernando, Denilson (Varela 46'); Oliveira (Dani 89'). 4-2-3-1.
Zaragoza: Luis García; Ponzio, Alvaro, Milito, Aranzábal; Movilla, Zapater (Camacho 85'), Generelo (Oscar González 71'); Cani (Galletti 67'), Savio; David Villa. 4-3-2-1.

Team changes: Betis: Prats, Luis Fernández, Fernando for Doblas, Varela, Israel / Zaragoza: Cani, Zapater for Galletti, Oscar González.

Goals:
0-1. 36. Savio. Struck long free kick over defensive wall into top corner of net.
1-1. 59. Juanito. Got on the end of Joaquín's cross to head down past keeper.
2-1. 68. Oliveira. Turned shot past Luis García after Varela laid ball in from right.
3-1. 82. Fernando. Ran on to Arzu through ball to chip shot past keeper.
3-2. 94. Oscar González. Got above defence to head Savio cross past Doblas.

Betis made sure of their place in Europe with a 3-2 win over Zaragoza which takes them up to fourth in the table pending Sunday's games. Serra Ferrer's side started slowly, Alvaro shooting just wide for the visitors in the opening minutes. Marcos Assunçao hit the bar with a free kick and Oliveira headed wide at the other end, but ten minutes before half time Savio cracked a free kick past Toni Prats (who was standing in for the suspended Doblas) to open the scoring.

Serra brought on Varela for Denilson at the break, with Joaquín switching to the left wing. Within ten minutes the move paid off, Juanito getting on the end of Joaquín's cross to head the equaliser. And a few minutes later his side were in front when Varela found the unmarked Oliveira with a ball in from the right for him to shoot wide of Luis García.

Fernando made it three with eight minutes to go, running on to an excelllent through ball from Arzu to lift a shot over the advancing keeper. That wrapped the game up, and a headed goal from Oscar González in injury time came too late to alter the result. The victory takes the home side past city neighbours Sevilla up in to the Champions League spots pending their match at Getafe on Sunday. Zaragoza say goodbye though to any hope of European football next season, and they can now start planning accordingly.