Betis downed Villarreal 2-1 in a match decided by young rookie Loren Moren, 24, who scored both of the winning team’s goals in his debut.
The Betis squad got a step closer to the European zone with the win and put the brakes on Villarreal, which played an hour with just 10 players following the red-card expulsion of Bonera, reports Efe.
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After little in the way of scoring chances during the first half, Betis went off the field leading 1-0 thanks to a powerful scoring shot from outside the area by Loren at minute 47.
The newcomer got back on the scoreboard at minute 65 of the second half, making it 2-0, after which Villarreal finally came away with a goal on a penalty shot by the Colombian Bacca.
There were some further anxious moments for Betis as its rival gave its all to tie it up, but it held on to the lead for the win.
The defeat broke a string of five straight victories by Villarreal and a tie in La Liga, as it tried for a place in the Champions League, at one point from Real Madrid and three from Valencia.