Recreativo Huelva vs Real Betis

The match began with a scare for Betis. In the fifth minute, Recreativo's Nacho Ruiz met a corner with a header that clipped the left post before Álvaro Valles gathered. The hosts, playing their first pre-season outing under new coach Jesús Galván, started brightly.

Betis grew into the half. Pablo García forced a save from Jero Lario after a sharp run, and Marc Bartra headed a corner just wide. Valles had to be alert again to deny Pablo Évora after a cross from the right. The sides went in level at 0-0.

Galván changed his entire XI at half-time. Pellegrini made one change — new signing Diego Conde replaced Valles in goal for his Betis debut, two days after his arrival from Villarreal was announced.

The decisive moment arrived in the 59th minute. Facundo Bernal and Bellerín combined on the right flank, the Uruguayan playing a one-two before Bellerín drove to the byline and pulled the ball back. Riquelme met it first time, steering his shot past Manu Fernández to make it 1-0.

Betis made a raft of changes at the hour mark — Ángel Ortiz, Diego Llorente, José Antonio Morante, Rica Fúnez and Iker Losada entered — and controlled the remainder. Morante, fresh from winning the Golden Boot at the U19 European Championship, tested the Recreativo defence with several incisive runs. Fran García, signed from Real Madrid, burst down the left and crossed for Morante, whose header drifted wide.

Recreativo pushed for an equaliser in the closing stages but mustered only a long-range effort from Mena that Conde handled comfortably. Marc Bartra lifted the Carabela de Plata trophy at full time.

Bellerín's decision to drive to the line rather than check back was pivotal. Bernal's quick exchange gave the right-back the half-yard he needed, and his low cross picked out Riquelme in the corridor between centre-back and full-back — a zone Recreativo's reshuffled defence could not protect. The goal arrived 13 minutes after the restart, before Betis's mass changes disrupted the flow.

• Rodrigo Riquelme — Scored the only goal with a composed first-time finish. His movement off the right flank caused problems throughout, and he was withdrawn after 67 minutes with his work done.
• Facundo Bernal — The Uruguayan midfielder, making his first Betis start, dictated play from deep and initiated the goal with a sharp one-two. His diagonal passes stretched the Recreativo defence.
• Diego Conde — A clean sheet on debut. The new goalkeeper had little to do but commanded his area confidently and claimed every cross.
• Fran García — Energetic down the left, his overlapping runs and delivery into the box were Betis's most consistent attacking threat in the second half.

Player of the Match: Rodrigo Riquelme

Betis dominated possession and territory, but the 1-0 scoreline reflects a contest that was competitive for long spells. Recreativo had the best chance of the first half (Ruiz's post) and matched Betis physically until the mass changes disrupted their rhythm. Betis's 11 substitutions against Recreativo's 11 (all at half-time) meant the second half was a game of two completely different teams — Galván's new XI settled better initially, but Betis's quality told in the decisive moment.

Betis secured their sixth Trofeo Colombino, moving level with Atlético Madrid as the second-most successful club in the tournament's history behind Recreativo (15 titles). The win is Betis's second in pre-season after beating Sportfreunde Lotte 4-0 on 18 July 2026. Pellegrini's side next face Granada CF on Saturday, 25 July 2026. Recreativo continue their pre-season under Galván, who will be encouraged by the first-half performance against a La Liga opponent.

A typical pre-season friendly — disjointed by mass substitutions, settled by a single moment of quality. Betis's depth told, Riquelme's finishing was decisive, and Conde's debut offered a clean sheet. Recreativo showed enough in the first half to suggest they can be competitive in Segunda RFEF this season.

The provider data credits Héctor Bellerín with the goal at 59'. However, multiple Spanish media outlets covering the match (Estadio Deportivo, ABC de Sevilla, Huelva Información, El Pespunte) unanimously report that Rodrigo Riquelme scored and Bellerín provided the assist. All four sources agree on the minute (59') and the build-up.