Vitoria Guimaraes 0-4 Real Betis (2-6 agg): Antony stars as Betis thrash Vitoria to keep dream alive

Real Betis delivered an impressive away performance, securing a 4-0 victory in the second leg of their UEFA Conference League last-16 matchup against Vitoria Guimaraes.

This triumph marks their first advancement to a European quarter-final since the 1997/98 season.

Prior to the match, Vitoria's fans created an electrifying atmosphere in hopes of energizing their team for this pivotal European encounter.

However, the home crowd was quickly silenced when Cedric Bakambu skillfully maneuvered the ball through Bruno Varela’s legs after evading a challenge from Toni Borevkovic.

Despite scoring early, Betis remained cautious, particularly after having relinquished their lead twice in last week's 2-2 draw in Spain.

With this in mind, the traveling supporters felt a sense of relief when Bakambu extended the lead in the 20th minute, heading in Aitor Ruibal’s precise pass to complete a well-executed attacking sequence.

Facing a two-goal deficit at halftime, Vitoria began the second half with determination, putting pressure on Betis at the Estadio D. Afonso Henriques.

Just as the home side was gaining momentum, the visitors executed a swift counter-attack, sealing the match with Antony’s fourth goal since his arrival in January.

The Manchester United loanee capitalized on Isco’s clever through ball, driving into the penalty area and firing the ball past Varela at the near post.

Antony subsequently contributed to the final details of an unforgettable away match, breaking free from Mikel Villanueva and setting up Isco for an easy goal, further compounding Vitoria's woes in their first home loss since September.

In the meantime, Manuel Pellegrini's team will advance to a quarter-final encounter against the Polish club Jagiellonia Bialystok.

SportsLigue