Betis 3 - Barcelona 2

Betis: Casto; Ilic, Melli, Juanito, Damià; Juande, Rivera; Edu, Capi (Odonkor 52'), Mark González (Sobis 52'); Pavone (Xisco 87'). 4-2-3-1.
Barcelona: Víctor Valdés; Zambrotta, Puyol, Thuram, Abidal; Xavi, Touré Yaya (Gudjohnsen 79'), Iniesta; Bojan (Giovani 61'), Eto'o, Henry. 4-3-3.

Team changes: Betis: Damià, Juande for Fernando Vega, Arzu / Barça: Abidal for Sylvinho.

Goals:
0-1. 13. Bojan. Collected rebound after Eto'o hit bar and scored with angled shot.
0-2. 16. Eto'o. Got ahead of marker to head Iniesta's cross past advancing keeper.
1-2. 64. Edu. Got on the end of Sobis cross to head ball back across Valdés.
2-2. 75. Juanito. Controlled ball on chest and volleyed shot past keeper.
3-2. 77. Edu. Cut in from left and curled shot wide of Valdés from edge of area.

Barcelona threw away another chance to catch up on leaders Real Madrid after they lost 3-2 to Betis on Saturday evening. Frank Rijkaard's side went two up within the first quarter of an hour, Bojan opening the scoring after an effort from Eto'o came back off the bar, and Eto'o heading the second himself from Iniesta's cross. And after that they could have increased their lead, Eto'o and Iniesta in particular bringing good saves out of Casto.

Considering the game won, Rijkaard took off Bojan early in the second half. But almost immediately things started to go wrong, Edu heading one back from a Sobis centre and Valdés having to save from Odonkor. Pavone had a penalty appeal turned down, but soon afterwards referee Turienzo Alvarez pointed to the spot after Abidal fouled Odonkor in the area. Valdés saved Edu's kick, but just a minute later Juanito equalised, controlling a long throw-in on his chest and volleying first time wide of the keeper.

Barça were in disarray, and two minutes later Edu took advantage to score his side's third after cutting in from the wing to beat Valdés with a long shot. A great victory for the Andalusians to put the problems of the ground closure behind them for now (the venue was in doubt up until Friday, when the CEDD suspended the two match ban until a later date), and they move up to twelfth pending Sunday's games. Rijkaard admitted after the match that he felt ashamed of what had happened, and if the Catalans don't get a good result in Tuesday's Champions League match, his job may even be in danger.Not a happy time at the Nou Camp.