Antony Shines as Betis Overcome Fiorentina in Extra Time to Secure Europa League Final Spot

An outstanding goal by Abde Ezzalzouli propelled Real Betis into their first European final, leaving ACF Fiorentina devastated following a thrilling 2-2 draw after extra time in the UEFA Conference League (UECL) semi-final second leg at the Stadio Artemio Franchi.

The home side overcame a chaotic opening to generate the first genuine threat, as a header from Pietro Comuzzo following a corner was desperately cleared off the line.

This foreshadowed the difficulties Betis would face in defending corners; however, at the other end, they ignited the scoring with flair.

Antony, seeking his third goal in three matches, unleashed a stunning free-kick that swerved past David de Gea, kissed the inside of the post, and found the net.

What seemed like a defining moment quickly turned commonplace, as Fiorentina demonstrated their resilience, equalising mere four minutes after falling behind.

Robin Gosens drifted away from the goal to connect with a corner from Rolando Mandragora, glancing the header into the bottom corner.

Despite Johnny Cardoso hitting the crossbar for Betis, the Italians began to gain momentum, once again repeating history.

This time, it was Adli’s corner, and Gosens, once more, moved backwards from goal to send his header past Betis goalkeeper Fran Vieites.

After surviving another corner scare just before half-time—when Moise Kean squandered a free header from eight yards—Betis refocused and took charge during a tense second half that featured a fierce duel between Luca Ranieri and Antony.

Repeatedly, Fiorentina’s captain and Betis’ scorer clashed, their encounters frequently escalating into disputes and skirmishes.

The second half was defined more by indiscipline than by quality play, resulting in five yellow cards within a frantic 10-minute spell. Gosens was the closest to scoring for the hosts, while de Gea made an impressive double save late in the match to thwart the Spaniards.

As the match progressed into extra time, Manuel Pellegrini orchestrated a tactical brilliance by moving full-back Aitor Ruibal to centre-forward, which paid off just seven minutes later.

Ruibal controlled a long ball and slipped a delicate pass to Antony, who then squared it for Ezzalzouli to finish with composure.

Following a nail-biting finish, that goal secured Betis’ place in the final against Chelsea in Wrocław later this month.