Betis equalizes in stoppage time and deals blow to Real Madrid slim title hopes

SEVILLE, Spain (AP) — Real Madrid’s already slim hopes of winning La Liga were dealt another blow when Real Betis scored a stoppage-time equalizer in a pulsating 1-1 result on Friday.

Madrid was left trailing league leader Barcelona by eight points with only five games to play. Barcelona has a game in hand at Getafe on Saturday.

The match started well for visiting Madrid as Vinicius Junior scored for the second time in four days. Betis goalkeeper Alvaro Valles could only parry Federico Valverde’s long range shot and the Brazilian striker followed up to slot in the rebound.

Betis, though, was not overawed and Andriy Lunin, in goal for the injured Thibaut Courtois, made at least two world-class saves to keep his side in the game.

At the other end, Kylian Mbappe had a goal chalked off for offside, annulling a superb assist from Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Betis kept pushing for an equalizer and it came in the dying seconds.

Ferland Mendy went down and appealed for a foul but the referee waved play on and former Arsenal defender Hector Bellerin calmly side-footed home inside a packed penalty area to the delight of the 54,000 fans at Betis’ Estadio La Cartuja.

The result meant Madrid has failed to win five of its last six games in all competitions.

Betis, meanwhile, was in fifth place, six points ahead of Getafe and seven behind Atletico Madrid.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer