BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Nabil Fekir scored from a great solo effort to help Real Betis beat Levante 2-0 at home to stay near the top of the Spanish league on Friday.
Fekir received the ball just past the centerline, spun around his marker, and then slalomed past three more defenders before slotting the ball between the legs of goalkeeper Aitor Fernández.
Juan Jiménez added to Fekir’s 70th-minute opener when he finished off a ball Fernández blocked inside the six-yard box.
After his goal, Fekir held up the shirt of teammate Cristian Tello, who missed the game due to the death of his father.
The French forward missed a clear opportunity to get another goal late when he missed from close.
Manuel Pellegrini’s side remained in sixth place and in control of a Europa League berth after its fifth win in six rounds. The win lifted it level on points with fifth-placed Real Sociedad before it hosts Barcelona on Monday.
Levante, which was left in ninth, had the best scoring chances early on when both José Morales and Jorge de Frutos threatened Claudio Bravo’s net.
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