Mbappe Penalty Miss as Parrott Fires Betis Past Real Madrid

Real Betis beat Real Madrid 1-0 on Friday as Troy Parrott scored his first goal for the club and goalkeeper Alvaro Valles saved a late Kylian Mbappe penalty at La Cartuja.

The result ended Madrid’s perfect start to the La Liga season under Jose Mourinho, with the visitors having won each of their opening three matches. Betis moved level with Madrid on nine points from four games, delivering a significant win before both clubs begin their Champions League campaigns next week.

Parrott makes decisive home impact for Betis

Madrid created notable opportunities before the breakthrough. Vinicius Junior struck the post in the first half after Arda Guler sent a pass across the face of goal. Mbappe was then denied twice during a rapid Madrid counter-attack, with Natan and Marc Bartra producing blocks to stop the forward.

As Madrid continued to search for an opening, Betis took the lead nine minutes from time. Thibaut Courtois made a fine save to deny Nelson Deossa’s header, but Parrott reacted to the rebound and fired home.

It was a landmark moment for the Republic of Ireland striker, who joined the Seville club from AZ Alkmaar last month on a five-year deal. Parrott scored on his home debut, giving Betis the advantage against a Madrid side that had been pushing for a breakthrough.

Madrid thought they had found an equaliser when Carlos Espi finished acrobatically from a Vinicius cross. However, the goal was ruled out for offside in the build-up. Mbappe also sent a delicate effort just over the crossbar as the visitors pressed late in the match.

Valles saves Mbappe from the spot

The decisive late incident came deep into stoppage time. Madrid were awarded a penalty after Natan’s late challenge on Vinicius, giving Mbappe the opportunity to level the score. Valles denied the forward from the spot, preserving Betis’ 1-0 lead and sealing the home side’s victory.

Mourinho said Madrid had been dominant and created numerous chances, but acknowledged that the defeat brought no points. He did not engage with questions regarding the late incidents, including Espi’s disallowed goal and Mbappe’s penalty miss.

“The team played a great game. Sometimes you lose and cannot explain how,” Mourinho said. “We were really dominant, created a lot going forward and had plenty of chances. If the match had ended in a draw we would have been frustrated, so imagine how we feel after a defeat.”

He added that Madrid had missed several chances while Betis’ goalkeeper had made exceptional saves. “I have nothing to reproach my players for,” Mourinho said. “We probably deserved to win, but deserving to win does not earn you any points.”

Champions League fixtures follow La Liga upset

The win gives Betis momentum before their second Champions League appearance, with the Spanish side set to travel to France to face Lille. Madrid begin their Champions League campaign at home against Italian champions Inter Milan next Tuesday.

In La Liga, Barcelona can move three points clear at the top on Sunday if they secure a fourth straight victory against Valencia at Mestalla. For Betis, Parrott’s first goal and Valles’ late save ensured a memorable night and brought Madrid’s winning start to a halt.