Real Betis welcomed Levante in La Liga on Thursday night.
A run of four defeats in five games had seen Betis drop to third from bottom, while Levante, who were seventh in the table, had won three of their last four games.
In a feisty match, neither side could break the deadlock, forcing both teams to settle for a point.
Read how it all unfolded in our live commentary below.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of Real Betis vs. Levante in La Liga at the Benito Villamarin.
The two teams are out on the field, so let me quickly bring you the starting lineups.
BETIS XI: Andersen, Perquis, Nacho, Chica, Amaya, Verdu, Xavi Torres, Juan Carlo, Molina, Juanfran, Chuli
LEVANTE XI: Navas, Navarro, Juanfran, Hector Lopez, Hector Rodas, Diop, El Zhar, Simao, Xumetra, Ivanschitz, Diawara
KICKOFF! Levante, playing from right to left, start the match.
Real Betis are wearing their usual home kit of green and white vertically striped shirts, white shorts and white socks, while Levante have the same style shirts but in burgundy and blue, and accompany them with blue shorts and burgundy socks.
Not a lot to report on in these opening few minutes. The tempo of the match is very slow and we haven't had a chance yet.
The crowd are in fine voice though, jumping up and down in huddles and generally creating a wonderful atmosphere.
Levante have a free kick on the right.
It's lofted into the box towards the penalty spot, where Diawara gets his head to it. But his effort is blocked and Betis hack it clear.
Juanfran hits an effort from the right from about 30 yards out and gets a decent connection on it, but it flies over the far top corner.
YELLOW CARD Javier Chica is the first man to go into the notebook for catching his man in the face with a flailing arm in an aerial duel.
Levante have probably just about shaded it so far. They have had slightly more possession, but the game is very slow at the moment.
CHANCE! Chuli brings down a ball over the top with a wonderful first touch on the left of the area. He puts the ball onto his strong foot, but side-foots it straight into the arms of Navas.
YELLOW CARD Ivanschitz goes into the book for a late challenge and he is not at all happy about it.
The game is getting a bit feisty now, a fair few heavy challenges flying in.
RED CARD! Betis are down to 10 men as Javi Chica gets a second yellow card after he pulls Diawara to the ground by the shirt after losing possession to the striker.
How will that impact the game? Betis will now have to play an hour of the match with a man less. Goalless at the moment, but hopefully that dismissal will liven things up a bit.
It's hard to see how Betis have adjusted to going a man down. I think they look to have just stayed the same, with Torres slightly drifting more to the right.
Betis have responded pretty well to that sending off, with a lot of attacks going their way.
Controversial moment here as the home side should be in front. Betis have the ball in the back of the net, but Jorge Molina is flagged offside after slotting past Navas. However, replays show that Molina was clearly onside as he ran on to the through ball. Bad call by the officials, and Betis just can't shift their bad luck.
YELLOW CARD Pape Diop is the latest man into the referee's notebook for Levante.
Betis launch the free kick into the box, but Levate can head it clear.
It's quite incredible how Levante were on top until Betis had a man sent off, and now the home side just cannot stay away from their opponents goal. Football is strange isn't it.
YELLOW CARD Jordi Xumetra is booked for fouling Xavi Torres, which the latter is least amused about. The bookings are piling up, and it wouldn't surprise me if we saw another player sent off before the match's conclusion.
We will have one minute added time.
HALF TIME: Real Betis 0-0 Levante
So it's goalless at the break. It's been a very heated match so far, with Real Betis down to 10 men after Javi Chica was sent off for two yellow cards.
Despite that, Betis should be in front at the break but Molina had a perfectly good goal ruled out for offside.
LEVANTE CHANGE Sergio Pinto is on for Simao at the break.
KICK OFF! Betis get the second half underway and will play to the left.
Verdu wins a free kick after catching an arm of Ivanschitz in the face. The Betis man wants the offender, who is already on a yellow, to be booked, but nothing is shown.
This second half has carried on from where the first left off. Feisty.
Sergio Pinto drifts in from the left touchline into space and has a shot at goal, but it was wide of the near post and didn't trouble the keeper.
LEVANTE CHANGE Pedro Rios is on for Ivanschitz. A good move as the latter didn't look too far away from picking up a second yellow card.
CHANCE! Betis whip a cross in from the left to the far post where Chuli brings it down, but away from the goal, before wrapping his right foot around the ball, but he can't keep it down or get it on target from a tight angle.
It's a fairly open game this at the moment, you wouldn't be able to tell that Betis are down to 10 men.
BETIS CHANGE Alvaro Vadillo is on in attack in place of fellow forward Chuli.
CHANCE! El Zhar slides into the six-yard box to meet a cross from the right, but he prods his effort wide of the far post.
BETIS CHANGE Mabwati makes his way onto the field in place of Juan Carlos for the hosts.
OFF THE LINE! How on earth has that not gone in?! Levante whip in a corner which is lost in a crowd of bodies on the line abut somehow doesn't cross it.
PENALTY TO BETIS!
What a phase on play! Betis break from the corner and take the ball into the box with Molina. He suckers in Navas and gets clattered in the process resulting in the referee pointing to the spot.
LEVANTE CHANGE Xumetra is replaced by David Barral.
PENALTY SAVED BY NAVAS!
But wait, I think the referee has ordered a retake. Navas makes a brilliant save but comes miles off his line to do it. Second chance for Betis and Molina.
YELLOW CARD Pedro Rios was booked for protesting.
PENALTY SAVED AGAIN BY NAVAS!
This is unreal. Molina steps up and goes for the right of the net once again but this time the bottom corner. However Navas guesses correctly once more and dives across to push it away. Unbelievable.
BETIS CHANGE Nono is on in place of Verdu.
YELLOW CARD David Barral is the latest player to go into the book for berating the referee for not awarding a free kick.
Not a lot of chances to report on over the past few minutes. The game is still pretty hot-headed though, so we're witnessing a lot of stoppages for fouls.
CHANCE! What a nightmare and a bizarre moment for David Barral. Pedro Lopez makes his way to the edge of the box on the right and pulls the ball back to Barral. He hits an effort first time which comes back off his teammate Diawara, before having another go which again hits the striker. Comical stuff.
We will have six minutes of added time.
YELLOW CARD Now Mabwati goes into the book for diving.
Sergio Pinto breaks for Levante down the middle and isn't closed down, so he opts to have a crack at goal from 30 yards out. It soars wildly over the bar, much to the frustration of his teammates.
FULL TIME: Real Betis 0-0 Levante
So it somehow ends goalless in Seville, with 10-man Betis having a penalty saved in the second half.
That's it from me. I hope you enjoyed the match. Goodnight.
Written by
Matt Cotton
Matt Cotton
