Ten-man Betis survive Navalcarnero scare at Santo Domingo as Riquelme wins it in extra time

Real Betis had to rely on a stoppage-time equalizer and extra time to secure a 3-2 victory over Navalcarnero in the Copa del Rey round of 128. Manuel Pellegrini’s understrength team escaped a major upset and is now waiting for the second-round draw.

On Thursday 12 November, Real Betis overturned a late deficit to defeat Navalcarnero in the Copa del Rey round of 128. Riquelme decided the contest in extra time at the Santo Domingo stadium. Manuel Pellegrini’s squad ended the match with ten players after Aitor Ruibal received a red card.

The location held significance for the Betis manager. According to El Gol Digital, Santo Domingo is where Pellegrini, while managing Real Madrid, endured the 2009 cup loss referred to as the ‘Alcorconazo’. Navalcarnero, established in 1953, competes in Group V of the Segunda Federación. The club relocated the match from its home ground, Municipal Mariano González. They selected Santo Domingo, which has a capacity of approximately 5,000, to accommodate their over 2,000 members. The club indicated that financial factors were not the sole consideration.

Betis fell behind late in the game before Riquelme scored the extra-time winner

Riquelme scored in the fifth minute following an assist from Ruibal, giving Betis a half-time lead. Álvaro Leis equalized in the 49th minute using a free-kick setup orchestrated by the Navalcarnero coach. Leis subsequently provided the assist for K. Vazquez, who put the hosts in the lead in the 79th minute.

Marina equalized in stoppage time, with Ruibal providing the assist. Riquelme scored his second goal in the 96th minute. Diego Llorente was substituted in extra time after suffering a heavy blow to the head. Isco failed to convert a penalty in the 117th minute. Ruibal, already cautioned in the 90+4th minute, received a second yellow card and a red card in the 118th. Navalcarnero believed they deserved a penalty for a challenge by Pablo Fornals, and the match was conducted without VAR, as reported by Infobae (EFE).

The statistics highlight Betis’ dominance. They possessed 73% of the ball, recorded 29 shots compared to Navalcarnero’s 12, and secured 13 corners to 3. They completed 864 accurate passes. Dani Ceballos received a 9.2 rating and created 3 key passes. Later that night, Levante also required extra time in the first round, securing a 2-1 away victory against CD Tarancón.

A depleted Betis squad now focuses on the derby and the upcoming draw

Betis missed several key players. Valles, Marc Roca, Abde, Parrott, and Deossa were away on international duty, along with four others. Cucho Hernández was injured. Betis accepted the new date after negotiations with the RFEF and Navalcarnero, aware that any players called up for their national teams would miss the fixture.

This win comes after a 2-0 victory against Elche. For Navalcarnero, the loss ended a five-match unbeaten streak, which included a 3-2 win over Numancia. They will face Getafe II in Segunda División RFEF on Sunday 15 November. Betis travel to Sevilla for a LaLiga match on Saturday 21 November.

The second round will consist of single matches from 2 to 4 December 2026, featuring 56 clubs in 28 ties. The lower-division team will host the match if their stadium meets RFEF standards. To allow postponed ties to be completed first, the RFEF delayed the draw from its original date of 16 November.

Sources

• Crónica: Betis and Levante narrowly escape failure in the Copa against Navalcarnero and Tarancón (Infobae (EFE))
• Rodrigo Riquelme saves Pellegrini from another Alcorconazo at Santo Domingo (2-3) (El Gol Digital)
• COPA DEL REY: 2-3. Riquelme ends Betis’ agony and Navalcarnero’s dream in extra time (Telemadrid (EFE))
• The one-by-one of Betis and the notes against Navalcarnero in the Copa del Rey (ElDesmarque)