La Liga result - Fantastic Joao Felix scores twice as Atletico Madrid beat Real Betis to move into fourth

Atletico Madrid moved into fourth in the La Liga table after beating Real Betis 3-1 in a frenetic contest at the Estadio Benito Villamarin. Cristian Tello cancelled out Joao Felix’s second minute strike just before half-time, but the 22-year-old forward struck again just past the hour mark before substitute Thomas Lemar scored with ten minutes to go to give Atletico an important victory.

Ad/> It is a fine result for Atletico who leapfrog their Seville-based opponents into the fourth Champions League place on 48 points. LigaGriezmann, Coutinho and Simeone among new cases as Covid sweeps through La Liga30/12/2021 AT 10:59 For Manuel Pellegrini’s side, it is los verdiblancos' second league defeat in a row which sees them drop down into fifth on 46 points and out of the top four for the first time in three months.

Just 74 seconds into the match and Felix fired the visitors in front. Angel Correa picked the ball up inside the Betis box and squared across the goalmouth for Felix to slot into the bottom corner.

/> It was a dream start for Atletico and the visitors could have doubled their lead in the 35th minute when Yannick Carrasco closed in on goal, but instead of slotting past Claudio Bravo he elected to pass to Felix, allowing right-back Youssouf Sabaly to make a vital interception. Liga table Liga fixtures / results Liga top scorers Paul Akouokou almost unintentionally scored a Betis equaliser in the 40th minute when Jose Gimenez's clearance deflected off him and over the bar from point-blank range.

But the hosts did get the leveller they deserved in a fiery, scrappy match on the stroke of half-time. In the fifth minute of first half injury-time, MLS-bound Hector Herrera was intercepted by Sabaly on the edge of his own