Troy Parrott Shines in Betis Victory Over Getafe
Troy Parrott marked his return to the Real Betis starting XI with a sharp, inventive display as Manuel Pellegrini’s side ground out a 1-0 win over Getafe on Thursday night, a result that lifts them to third in La Liga.
Parrott sets the tone early
Given the nod from the start after remaining on the bench in Monday’s 2-1 victory at Villarreal, the 24-year-old Dubliner wasted no time announcing himself. Barely five minutes had passed when he almost produced a goal-of-the-season contender.
Spotting David Soria off his line after a loose Getafe pass near halfway, Parrott took a touch, looked up and went for it. His audacious lob had the goalkeeper scrambling, Soria stretching every inch to claw the ball away with his fingertips. It was inches from perfection. It was also a warning: Betis, and Parrott, were in the mood.
Betis controlled the ball and the tempo. Getafe sat off, absorbed, and hoped. The hosts pushed them back, but the breakthrough refused to come. Antony twice lashed efforts over the bar, chances that matched Betis’ dominance but not their finishing.
Abde and Parrott combine for the breakthrough
The pressure finally told on the stroke of half-time, and Parrott was at the heart of it.
Breaking from their own half, Abde Ezzalzouli picked up possession in midfield and drove forward, slipping the ball wide to Antony racing up the flank. The move accelerated. Parrott arrived through the middle, took the pass at the edge of the area and, with one composed touch, rolled it back across goal into space.
Abde hadn’t stopped running. He met the return ball and drilled it low past Soria from close range for 1-0 in the 45th minute. A slick team move, finished with conviction, built on Parrott’s awareness and weight of pass.
Betis hang on as Getafe rally
After the break, the pattern hardened. Getafe dropped deeper, lines compressed, and Betis were forced to probe rather than pounce. Half-chances came and went, but the second goal refused to arrive.
Pellegrini turned to his bench midway through the second half, withdrawing Parrott, Isco and Abde as he tried to inject fresh legs and a different angle into the attack. The changes did not bring the cushion he wanted.
Instead, Getafe finally stirred, pushing forward in the closing stages and asking questions of a Betis side that had looked comfortable for most of the night. The hosts were made to work for it, but they held firm through the late surge and saw the game out without conceding.
Betis climb, Parrott continues to deliver
The narrow victory moves Betis up to third place in La Liga on 15 points, level with second-placed Real Madrid but behind on goal difference. Barcelona remain out in front with a perfect six wins from six and 18 points on the board.
For Parrott, this was another step in an increasingly influential start to life in Seville. A fortnight ago he came off the bench at Estadio La Cartuja to score the winner against Real Madrid, handing José Mourinho’s side their first defeat of the season.
Now he has added a decisive assist to that statement goal. If this is the platform, how high can he and Betis climb from here?
