Troy Parrott Shines in Betis XI as Striker Helps Team to Third Place
Troy Parrott didn’t ease his way back into Real Betis’ starting line-up. He tore into the game.
Restored to Manuel Pellegrini’s XI for Thursday night’s La Liga meeting with Getafe, the 24-year-old Dubliner almost produced a highlight-reel goal inside five minutes. Spotting a loose pass near halfway, Parrott pounced, looked up and went for audacity – a long, looping effort over David Soria that forced the Getafe goalkeeper into a desperate, fingertip stretch to claw the ball away.
Betis had their visitors penned in for long spells. They moved the ball, probed, and kept Getafe deep. The breakthrough, though, took its time.
Antony twice lashed promising chances over the bar as frustration grew around the stadium. Betis were on top, but the scoreboard refused to budge. The pressure finally told on the stroke of half-time – and Parrott was at the heart of it.
Abde Ezzalzouli started the move from deep, carrying the ball out of Betis territory and sliding it wide to Antony tearing down the flank. Parrott drifted into space through the middle, took the return at the edge of the box and, with one sharp touch and a cool head, rolled the ball back across goal into Abde’s path. The finish was ruthless, drilled low beyond Soria for 1-0.
It was the kind of move that summed up Betis’ attacking rhythm: quick, incisive, and with Parrott knitting the pieces together.
Getafe, sitting in 15th, refused to open up. They stayed compact, absorbed pressure and waited for scraps on the break. Betis chased a second but found bodies in the way at every turn. As the tempo dipped, Pellegrini went to his bench, withdrawing Parrott, Isco and Abde midway through the second half in search of fresh legs and a different angle in attack.
The insurance goal never came. Instead, Betis had to grind.
Getafe finally threw men forward late on, forcing the hosts to defend their own box and see out nervy moments before the whistle. Betis held firm, closed the game down and banked the 1-0 win.
The victory lifts Pellegrini’s side up to third in La Liga on 15 points, level with Real Madrid but behind on goal difference. Barcelona, perfect so far with six wins from six, sit three points clear at the top.
For Parrott, it was another step in an increasingly influential start to life in Seville. A fortnight ago, he came off the bench at Estadio La Cartuja to score the winner against Real Madrid, handing José Mourinho’s team their first defeat of the season.
Now he has a starting role, a key assist, and a team suddenly looking like genuine players in the title race.
