Ruibal’s Strike Earns Betis a Draw Against Real Madrid
Real Madrid, the league leaders, encountered a stumbling block with a 1-1 draw against Real Betis on Saturday.
Aitor Ruibal’s impressive strike nullified Jude Bellingham’s 12th goal of the season, momentarily putting Madrid one point ahead of Girona in the standings.
Bellingham brilliantly slotted Madrid ahead at the Benito Villamarin early in the second half, displaying excellent teamwork with Brahim Diaz. However, Ruibal responded with a skillful angled shot from outside the area, finding the top corner and securing a point for Betis. This result extended Betis’ unbeaten run in La Liga to 11 matches.
Despite Madrid’s belief that they had taken the lead with a goal from Diaz in the 16th minute, the Brazilian was deemed offside in the build-up after an attempted clearance rebounded off Rodrygo.
Betis, aiming for their fifth successive home league win, had opportunities with Ayoze Perez and Willian Jose testing Madrid’s defense. Bellingham eventually broke the deadlock in the second half, retrieving the ball deep in Betis territory and scoring with a composed finish past Rui Silva.
Madrid’s lead lasted only 13 minutes as Ruibal capitalized on too much time and space, rifling home from 20 meters and securing his first league goal in over two years.
Both teams pressed for a winner, and former Madrid attacker Isco nearly caused trouble for his old club by heading against the post. Joselu had a late effort go wide, while Lunin made a crucial save in stoppage time to deny Chadi Riad’s header, ensuring the match ended in a 1-1 draw.
