Karetsas Late Winner Gives Borussia Dortmund 2-1 Win Over Real Betis

Borussia Dortmund 2-1 Real Betis ended the perfect Champions League start of Real Betis on Wednesday night, as a late goal from substitute Konstantinos Karetsas settled a hard fought contest at Signal Iduna Park. Fabio Silva scored the opening goal and provided the assist for the winner, while Aitor Ruibal scored the equaliser for the visitors in a second half that produced all three goals.

The result gave Borussia Dortmund a second straight win in the league phase and moved the German club to 12th place in the standings with nine points from four matches. Real Betis dropped points for the first time in the competition after winning the opening three matches of the league phase, but the Spanish club stayed on nine points and remained well placed to reach the knockout stage.

The match stayed goalless until the 49th minute, even though both teams created clear chances in the first half and Real Betis saw an early goal ruled out for offside. Borussia Dortmund then scored twice in the second half, either side of the Ruibal equaliser, and held on through a tense closing period to secure all three points.

Goalless First Half Brings Disallowed Antony Goal and Guirassy Injury at Signal Iduna Park

Borussia Dortmund made the stronger start and created the first clear chances of the match. Serhou Guirassy fired marginally wide from a Julian Ryerson cross in the third minute, and the striker fired over the crossbar from inside the box six minutes later. The early pressure set the tone for a first half in which the home team carried the greater threat, even though the score stayed level.

Real Betis thought the team had taken the lead in the 14th minute, when Antony finished past Gregor Kobel. The goal was ruled out for a marginal offside against Troy Parrott in the build up, and the decision kept the match goalless. The visitors stayed in the contest through the work of goalkeeper Alvaro Valles, who produced a fine reflex save to deny Daniel Svensson in the 21st minute and stayed in inspired form throughout the match.

Injury misfortune then struck for Borussia Dortmund in the 31st minute, when Guirassy went down and could not continue. Karetsas replaced the striker, and the substitution later shaped the outcome of the match in a way that few inside the stadium could have predicted at the time. The change forced Borussia Dortmund to adjust the attack, while Real Betis gained confidence from surviving the early pressure without conceding a goal.

Borussia Dortmund head coach Niko Kovac made three changes to the team that drew 2-2 at Bayern Munich in Der Klassiker over the weekend. Ramy Bensebaini, Ryerson and Silva returned to the starting line up in place of Joane Gadou, Maximilian Beier and Carney Chukwuemeka, who dropped to the bench. For Real Betis, former Borussia Dortmund defender Marc Bartra began the match on the bench. Bartra made 51 competitive appearances for the German club between July 2016 and January 2018 and won the DFB Cup in the 2017-18 season. The first half ended without a goal, and both teams returned to the dressing rooms with the contest still open.

Fabio Silva Breaks Deadlock Early in Second Half of Borussia Dortmund 2-1 Real Betis Match

Borussia Dortmund broke the deadlock within four minutes of the restart. Ryerson delivered a low cross into the area, Jobe Bellingham met the cross with a low shot, and Valles parried the effort. Silva reacted quickest to the rebound and steered the ball home from close range to open the scoring in the 49th minute. The goal rewarded Silva for a start that followed a dramatic late equaliser off the bench in Der Klassiker at the weekend. The Bundesliga match report records Silva as the scorer of the opening goal and the provider of the assist for the winner.

The opening goal changed the mood inside the stadium and gave Borussia Dortmund control of the match for a period. The home team pressed for a second goal, and Valles stayed busy in the Real Betis goal. The goalkeeper produced further saves later in the match to deny Bellingham and Karetsas, and the saves kept Real Betis within reach of a result. Borussia Dortmund could not turn the pressure into a second goal at that stage, and the narrow lead left the contest open for a response from the visitors.

Aitor Ruibal Equaliser Levels Score After Defensive Error in Dortmund

Real Betis found the equaliser in the 67th minute after a defensive error from Waldemar Anton. Abde Ezzalzouli collected the ball on the left side of the attack and passed across the area for Ruibal, who finished past Kobel to level the score. The goal came after Ruibal entered the match as a substitute in the second half, and the finish rewarded the changes made by Real Betis head coach Manuel Pellegrini. The substitutions changed the balance of the match and gave the visitors a stronger presence in attack during the closing stages.

The equaliser stunned the home crowd and put Borussia Dortmund under renewed pressure. Real Betis had travelled to Germany with confidence from three straight wins in the league phase, and the goal showed why the Spanish club had started the competition so strongly. The visitors defended with discipline and looked for chances on the counter attack, while Borussia Dortmund searched for a way back in front. The match stood level for only five minutes, and the next goal decided the contest.

Konstantinos Karetsas Winner Settles Champions League Tie Five Minutes Later

Borussia Dortmund responded to the setback at once. In the 72nd minute, Silva picked up the ball on the turn around 35 yards from goal and slid a pass to Karetsas at the edge of the box. Karetsas shifted the ball onto his left foot and hammered a low finish into the bottom corner to restore the lead for the home team. The goal was the maiden goal for the club for Karetsas since the summer arrival, and the strike came from the substitute who had replaced the injured Guirassy in the first half.

The winner gave Borussia Dortmund a lead to defend through the closing stages, and the home team managed the final minutes with discipline. Valles produced further saves to deny Bellingham and Karetsas, and Svensson missed an opportunity to settle the match with a third goal for Borussia Dortmund. Real Betis pushed for a second equaliser, and Ezzalzouli missed a late chance when a corner fell to the winger inside the six yard box. The ball rolled wide, and Borussia Dortmund held on for a hard fought victory in a contest that stayed in doubt until the final whistle.

What Borussia Dortmund 2-1 Real Betis Result Means for Champions League Standings

The result kept Borussia Dortmund on a six match unbeaten run in all competitions and strengthened the home record of the club in the Champions League. Borussia Dortmund have now lost just two of the past 25 home matches in the competition, and the win moved the club to 12th place in the league phase standings. Real Betis took part in only the second Champions League campaign in the history of the club, and the defeat ended a run of three wins from three matches. The Spanish club stayed well placed to progress to the knockout stage, despite the first defeat of the league phase.

The other Spanish clubs in action on Matchday 4 produced mixed results. Barcelona beat Aston Villa 3-0 on Tuesday, and Real Madrid won 3-2 at AEK Athens on Wednesday. Atletico Madrid lost 2-0 at Bayern Munich, and Villarreal lost 6-0 at home to Paris Saint-Germain. The results left the Spanish clubs in different positions in the league phase, with the race for the top eight places still open after four rounds of matches.

Borussia Dortmund return to Champions League action with a trip to Arsenal on 24 November. Real Betis return to domestic action on Sunday, when the team visits Elche in LaLiga. The domestic schedule continues on the same weekend, when Villarreal host Getafe. The defeat in Dortmund gave Real Betis a first setback in Europe this season, but the strong start to the league phase left the club in a healthy position before the remaining fixtures.

Team	Played	Won	Lost	Points
Borussia Dortmund	4	3	1	9
Real Betis	4	3	1	9

Borussia Dortmund sit 12th in the league phase standings.

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