Jose strikes late on penalty as Real Betis edge last-placed Elche

ELCHE: Real Betis scripted an astounding comeback from being two goals to beating home side Elche 3-2 with Willian Jose scoring on a penalty in the stoppage time.

Last-placed Elche were off to a dream start to their home clash with Real Betis as the side attained a two-goal lead within the first 10 minutes into the game with Fidel Chaves and Lucas Boye scoring for the hosts.

Yet Pablo Machin’s team’s fortunes began to deteriorate in the second half. The visitors made several significant adjustments and soon benefited from having an extra man as the referee sent back Pape Cheikh Diop in the 57th minute.

The advantages soon resulted in Betis pulling back first through Borja Iglesias’s penalty in the 65th minute. Iglesias then fed Juan Miranda who struck three minutes later to equalize the hosts’ lead at 2-2.

Iglesias had another penalty opportunity two minutes before regulation time, but Elche’s goalkeeper Edgar Badia made a fine stop on his effort from 12 yards out to bar Betis from taking the lead.

Elche were then looking solid for holding Betis for a point but the hosts conceded another penalty in the stoppage time, which Jose made no mistake in converting and steered his side to victory.

Following the victory, Betis moved one point within the fourth-placed Atletico Madrid, while Elche remained at the bottom at 13 points from safety.

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