Valencia 0-1 Betis: Late Garcia strike secures narrow victory in La Liga opener (full match highlights)

On August 25, 2026, at the Mestalla Stadium in Valencia, in front of 45,472 spectators (83% capacity), Betis secured a narrow 1-0 victory over the hosts in their La Liga opener. The referee blew the starting whistle at 22:00 Moscow time. The first half was fiercely contested with plenty of tactical battles. In the 26th minute, Ryunosuke Sato received a yellow card for a reckless foul, followed by Junior Firpo's booking in the 42nd minute. Both teams created chances, but the goalkeepers were reliable. The second half began with the hosts pushing forward, but Betis' defense remained organized. In the 83rd minute, the visitors snatched the victory: Pablo García fired into the far corner after a pass from Francisco García — 0-1. In the 89th minute, Mouctar Diakaby received a yellow card for a reckless challenge. The score remained unchanged until the final whistle. Match statistics: Valencia had 58% possession, recorded 14 shots on goal compared to Betis' 9, and completed 82% of their passes against Betis' 76%. Pablo García was the hero of the match, scoring the only goal and giving Betis three points. Betis started the season with an away victory, an excellent result for the team. Valencia, despite dominating possession and shots, couldn't convert their chances and dropped points. Betis' manager praised his team's defensive performance and clinical finishing. Valencia, meanwhile, could be disappointed with their finishing but not with their players' commitment. La Liga has started, and this match showed that the competition will be fierce.