Alaves top Betis 1-0 in La Liga

Deyverson Silva scored as Alaves beat visiting Real Betis 1-0 here to post their first home victory in three months and move up to 12th place in the La Liga football championship.

The triumph at the Mendizorroza Arena on Friday lifts Alaves to 21 points from 16 matches, while Betis are in 14th place with 18, reports Efe.

The hosts on Friday got off to a fast start, but their high press did not translate into a scoring chance until the 23rd minute, when Victor Carmarasa's shot from close range lodged in the side of Antonio Adan's net.

Deyverson missed the target for Alaves in the 39th and was stopped by Adan shortly before the break.

The visitors came close in the 47th minute with a shot by Ruben Castro that Alaves keeper Fernando Pacheco swept aside at the last instant.

A blast from Camarasa deflected off a defender and then bounced off the post in the 56th minute, a minute before Gaizka Toquero's precision pass found Deyverson in front of the net and the Brazilian converted to make it 1-0.

Betis battled back and Daniel Pacheco had to be sharp to stop Castro's free kick in the 71st minute. The Alaves keeper was also ready when Dani Ceballos made a bid for the equaliser in the closing seconds of regulation.

--IANS

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