In a much-anticipated club friendly in the early morning of July 27, 2024, Premier League giants Liverpool took on La Liga rivals Real Betis. The match attracted a lot of fans as it was not only an important pre-season warm-up for both teams, but also new manager Arne Slaughter's second friendly since taking charge of Liverpool.
The game was played somewhere in North America and Liverpool showed strength and depth in their squad by starting with a €320 million starting lineup. Salah, Elliott and Carvalho were partnered by the sharpest of the front line, while the midfield was anchored by Jones, Endo Hang and Sobosloi, and the defense was made up of strong players such as Bradley and Kuan Jieza. In contrast, the starting lineup of Real Betis is worth only 51.6 million euros, but the joining of players such as Marcos and Fekir also adds a lot of competitiveness.
At the start of the first half, Liverpool quickly took the initiative on the field, controlling the rhythm of the game through subtle coordination and active running. However, in the 30th minute of the game, Liverpool midfielder Jones was suspected to be injured and could not continue to play, and was forced to return to the locker room, where Njoneni then came on as a substitute. This change did not disrupt Liverpool's position, but inspired the team's fighting spirit.
In the 34th minute, Salah broke through on the right road, facing the Royal Betis defenders, he showed great personal ability and excellent vision, and found Sobosloe in the penalty area with a subtle direct pass. Sobosloj lived up to his name, and then stepped in and fired a shot from a small angle to break the deadlock for Liverpool, making the score 1-0. This goal was not only a manifestation of Salah's ability to assist, but also a manifestation of Sobosloj's ability to seize the opportunity.
At the start of the second half, Real Betis stepped up their attack in an attempt to equalize the score. However, Liverpool's defensive line performed solidly and neutralized the opponent's attack several times. In the 78th minute, Rodrigo Sanchez had a great one-touch chance, but his shot was valiantly parried by Liverpool goalkeeper Jarosz, missing the chance to equalize the score.
As time went by, Liverpool gradually stabilized their position and kept the lead through aggressive defense and counterattack. Finally, with the referee's whistle, the match was over, and Liverpool won this friendly match with a score of 1-0 against Real Betis.
