Real Betis will carry a slender lead to Florence for the second leg of a closely-contested UEFA Conference League (UECL) semi-final, after Manuel Pellegrini’s side secured a 2-1 victory over Fiorentina in Seville.

Betis have earned a reputation for fast starts in this competition, scoring the opening goal in 10 of their previous 11 UECL matches. This time, their blistering opening caught Fiorentina off guard.

A long bouncing ball into the channel allowed Cedric Bakambu to outmuscle Pietro Comuzzo, and the veteran forward squared it for Abde Ezzalzouli. The Moroccan's close-range shot hit the underside of the bar. Goal line technology issues caused a tense delay before referee Michael Oliver finally confirmed the opener.

Amid the deafening roar of the sold-out Estadio Benito Villamarín, Betis threatened to overwhelm Fiorentina. Isco came close to a second but his curling effort drifted wide. Gradually, Raffaele Palladino’s side found their footing; Rolando Mandragora’s glancing header went narrowly wide, and Marc Bartra squandered a golden chance to double Betis' lead before halftime.

Fiorentina introduced Moise Kean at the break, hoping for a spark. Instead, Betis' Albert Gudmundsson almost scored immediately after the restart, only to be denied by the onrushing Fran Vieites. Moments later, David de Gea produced a stunning save to tip away Bartra’s header.

With the game seemingly settling, Antony's moment of brilliance changed the narrative. His unstoppable strike from the edge of the box found the top corner, putting Betis in control. Pablo Fornals then missed a great opportunity set up by Isco. This proved costly as Fiorentina grabbed a vital away goal a minute later. Robin Gosens’ pullback was fired home by captain Luca Ranieri, setting the stage for an exciting second leg in Florence next week.

Both sides know the tie remains wide open, with Fiorentina eager to turn the tables on home soil.