A long-shot goal from Marcus Rashford (56) ended Betis’s hopes of lifting the resounding 4-1 suffered in the first leg at Old Trafford, after a game in the Andalusian team he put his intentions in, but lacked precision.
“We were convinced that we could put pressure on them if we scored an early goal. I’m leaving very happy with what the team did,” Betis coach Manuel Pellegrini said after the game.
The Verdiblancos, who blamed the injured Nabil Fekir for a foul, began by pressing United who tried to control the match, but came under pressure from the rivals in the opening minutes of the first half. Juanmi was able to open the scoring early, but his shot went too far across the post (8) and shortly after, captain Joaquín almost surprised goalkeeper David de Gea with a long shot that was repelled by the post (11).
Betis reached more, but found a good performance by De Gea, who beat Juanmi one-on-one when the Betis attacker arrived practically alone (32).
“We had three very clear options that would have changed the game, the score and the pressure with which Manchester United played,” lamented Pellegrini.
United, the executioner of Barcelona in the previous round, gradually shook off the pressure from the locals until they came close to scoring a discount goal in the first half with a shot from the Uruguayan Facundo Pellistri in the area that hit the post (45+2 ).
The break served, as happened in the first leg, to activate United, who after the break took control of the match and ended up putting Betis in their field.
✅ Another professional presentation of the Erik ten Hag outfit for the cup.
𝗦𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗺𝗼𝘀 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘇𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼 𝗷𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗼𝘀. pic.twitter.com/DQu5cXODwE
– Manchester United (@ManUtd_Es)
March 16, 2023
“In the second half we were much better with the ball, we kept it in their half and then you create chances,” United manager Erik Ten Hag told BT Sport after the game.
Rashford, who had sent a ball to the clouds only against Rui Silva (54), made up for it with a long shot before which the Verbiblanco goalkeeper could do nothing (56).
The goal fell like a jug of cold water for Betis, who accepted the blow and although they continued to fight to win the game, they found themselves outclassed by a United who had become the master of the game.