Cucho Hernández double sinks Oviedo as Pellegrini joins LaLiga elite

Key facts

• Cucho Hernández scored twice (22', 58') to lead Betis to a 3-0 win.
• Manuel Pellegrini became the third manager in LaLiga history to record victories against 40 different teams.
• Abde Ezzalzouli scored Betis’s second goal just before half-time.
• Oviedo remain bottom of LaLiga with 28 points, seven points from safety with four games left.
• Betis moved six points clear of sixth-placed Celta Vigo in the race for a potential Champions League spot.
• The attendance at Estadio de la Cartuja was 57,578.
• Betis extended their unbeaten head-to-head run against Oviedo to 14 games (W7, D7).

Lede: Betis tighten grip on fifth place as Oviedo’s survival hopes fade

Cucho Hernández scored twice to lead Real Betis to a 3-0 victory over Real Oviedo at the Estadio de la Cartuja, pushing the visitors closer to an immediate return to the second tier. The result extended Betis’s unbeaten home league run since December and strengthened their hold on fifth place in LaLiga, six points ahead of sixth-placed Celta Vigo. Manuel Pellegrini’s side now have 53 points from 30 matches, while Oviedo remain rooted to the bottom with 28 points, seven adrift of 17th-placed Mallorca with only four games remaining. The defeat leaves Oviedo’s survival prospects hanging by a thread.

The match: Oviedo start brightly but Betis capitalise on defensive lapses

Oviedo began with urgency, knowing a win was essential. Within 15 seconds of kick-off, Ilyas Chaira forced Betis goalkeeper Álvaro Valles into a sprawling save. Valles was called into action again shortly after, denying Alberto Reina’s shot on the turn, before Santiago Colombatto curled a free-kick just wide of the near post. Despite their early pressure, Oviedo’s good work unravelled midway through the first half. Pablo Fornals’ deflected cross fell kindly for Hernández, who tucked home from 15 yards to give Betis the lead. Oviedo failed to convert promising positions into an equaliser, and Betis nearly doubled their advantage when Chaira made a goal-saving sliding interception to deny Abde Ezzalzouli a tap-in at the far post.

Controversial decisions and a second-half sucker punch

Oviedo felt aggrieved not to be awarded a penalty when Sofyan Amrabat caught Thiago Fernández with his studs during a sliding challenge on the byline. Their frustrations grew when Antony crossed for Ezzalzouli to poke home and double Betis’s advantage on the stroke of half-time. Eight minutes after the break, Oviedo thought they had halved the deficit when Federico Viñas headed in, only for VAR to rule the goal offside by centimetres. The visitors brought on 41-year-old Santi Cazorla to spark a comeback, but before he could make an impact, Betis struck again. A counter-attack ended with Hernández flicking Ezzalzouli’s cross in off the post for his 10th LaLiga goal of the season, sealing the win.

Pellegrini’s milestone and Betis’s European ambitions

With the victory, Manuel Pellegrini became only the third manager in LaLiga history to record wins against 40 different teams in the competition, joining an elite group. Betis’s form has been strong since their Europa League quarter-final exit to Braga, with four points from matches against Girona and Real Madrid. The win puts Betis six points clear of sixth-placed Celta Vigo, a gap that could prove crucial if Spain is awarded a fifth UEFA Champions League qualifying spot. Betis currently occupy the fifth-place berth, which would secure Europa League qualification for the 2026-27 campaign.

Oviedo’s relegation fight: too little, too late

Oviedo’s recent revival, which included three wins in six matches, gave them a glimmer of hope, but the gap to safety remains seven points with only four games left. Their remaining fixtures include matches against Getafe, Real Madrid, Alaves, and Mallorca, making survival a tall order. Guillermo Almada’s side have struggled on the road, losing 10 of their 16 away league matches this season. Despite their improved performances in recent weeks, the damage from a poor first half of the season appears irreversible. A win here could have acted as a springboard, but instead, Oviedo face the prospect of an immediate return to the Segunda División.

Looking ahead: Betis aim to secure European football, Oviedo face final reckoning

Betis will look to build on their unbeaten home run and consolidate fifth place, with the potential for a Champions League spot adding extra motivation. Pellegrini’s side have not lost at home in the league since December and will be confident of finishing the season strongly. For Oviedo, the focus shifts to their remaining four matches, where they must win and hope results elsewhere go their way. The defeat leaves them with a mountain to climb, and their recent history against Betis offers little comfort: they have not beaten Betis since January 1993 in all competitions, and their last league win over Betis came in April 1991.

A milestone overshadowed by Oviedo’s despair

Pellegrini’s achievement in beating 40 different LaLiga teams underscores his longevity and tactical acumen, but the narrative of the match was dominated by Oviedo’s plight. The visitors’ early promise evaporated under Betis’s clinical finishing and a VAR decision that went against them. As Betis celebrate a comfortable victory and a historic milestone for their manager, Oviedo are left to contemplate a likely relegation that has been coming for months. The final four games will determine whether they can defy the odds or whether the drop becomes official.

The bottom line

• Cucho Hernández scored twice to lead Betis to a 3-0 win, taking his LaLiga tally to 10 goals this season.
• Manuel Pellegrini became the third manager in LaLiga history to beat 40 different teams.
• Oviedo remain bottom with 28 points, seven points from safety with four games left.
• Betis moved six points clear of sixth-placed Celta Vigo, strengthening their Europa League (and potential Champions League) qualification hopes.
• VAR disallowed a Federico Viñas goal for offside, and Oviedo had a penalty appeal turned down.
• Betis extended their unbeaten head-to-head run against Oviedo to 14 games.