LaLiga leaders Barcelona had to settle for a 2-2 draw at mid-table Real Betis after substitute Assane Diao scored a stoppage-time equaliser on Saturday to give Manuel Pellegrini cause to celebrate in his 500th LaLiga game as a manager.

Barca have 38 points from 17 matches but second-placed Real Madrid, who have 33 with two games in hand, can narrow the gap to two points if they win at Girona later on Saturday.

“We weren’t able to finish things off in the second half, to put the result beyond doubt. But we now look forward to the next game, there’s no time,” said Barcelona’s Ferran Torres, who got their second after Robert Lewandowski had put them 1-0 up.

The visitors created a number of chances early on and Lamine Yamal, making just his second start after a four-week absence with an ankle injury, was mostly in the thick of the action

The 17-year-old caused numerous problems for Betis in the first half with his silky footwork and inventive passing.

Barca opened the scoring in the 39th minute through a flowing move orchestrated by Yamal and neatly finished by Lewandowski for his 16th league goal of the season.

Betis showed more intent after the break as Sergi Altimira and Abde Ezzalzouli sent headers just wide before the hosts’ pressure was rewarded with a penalty in the 68th minute.

Frenkie De Jong clattered into Barca loanee Vitor Roque and the spot kick was given after a VAR review, with visiting coach Hansi Flick being sent off for his vociferous protests.

Giovani Lo Celso stepped up to convert and level the match, but Barcelona regained the lead in the 82nd minute as Yamal’s brilliance once again shone through, with his well-disguised through ball finding its way to Torres who scored.

However, there was one final twist in a thrilling contest, and Pellegrini’s substitutions paid dividends as two of them combined for the equaliser, with Aitor Ruibal’s dangerous cross flicked into the net by Diao with a cheeky backheel.

“Well, I think we deserved at least a draw,” Diao said. “We defended and attacked as a team. We went for the three points. We couldn’t get that, but we deserved a draw.”

Betis, who remain 11th, will be glad to have snapped a two-game losing streak but they have not won a LaLiga match since October.

“In terms of performance, we needed it,” Pellegrini said. “I think the team has to regain confidence with today’s performance, and hopefully build up to three points.”

-Reuters

Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr scored a hat-trick to help the LaLiga champions snap a two-game winless run in all competitions with a commanding 4-0 victory over Osasuna on Saturday.

The Brazilian forward opened the scoring in the 34th minute after taking a Jude Bellingham pass in his stride to beat the offside trap and firing an unstoppable strike past goalkeeper Sergio Herrera.

Bellingham recovered his scoring instinct by netting his first goal of the season with a brilliant finish eight minutes later, lobbing the ball over the goalkeeper to extend Real’s lead.

Vinicius wrapped up the home side’s win with strikes in the 61st and 69th minutes, helping second-placed Real climb to 27 points, six behind leaders Barcelona. Osasuna are fifth on 21 points.

-Reuters

Super Eagles striker Kelechi Iheanacho has expressed delight after opening his goal-scoring account for Sevilla.

The Nigerian striker, Iheanacho, bagged a brace for the club in a dominant second-half display as Sevilla cruised to a 3-0 victory over Las Rozas in their Copa del Rey opener at Dehesa de Navalcarbón on Wednesday night.

Reflecting on his performance, Iheanacho expressed satisfaction with breaking his goal drought for Sevilla.

“I’m very happy to have scored my first goal for this club,” Iheanacho said via El Sevillista.

“It’s great for my confidence and that of the team, which hopefully will finish in the top six.”

Speaking ahead of their La Liga clash against Real Sociedad, Iheanacho said: “I hope we win. We want to win at the Sanchez-Pizjuan, and the support of the fans will be important.”