Fornals runs the show as Betis dismantle Arsenal in Dublin

Real Betis picked apart Arsenal with a commanding display at the Aviva Stadium, running out 3-1 winners in a friendly that got away from the home side inside the opening quarter-hour.

The visitors struck twice in the first 26 minutes through R. Riquelme and N. Deossa, both set up by P. Fornals, who controlled the tempo from midfield with ease. Arsenal pulled one back through P. Hincapie in the 32nd minute - C. Tzolis providing the assist - but the damage was already done. Fornals added a third himself on 43 minutes, converting a chance created by Deossa, to seal a convincing victory.

Early Betis onslaught

Betis were sharp from the start and Arsenal had no answer. Riquelme opened the scoring in the ninth minute after Fornals found him in space, then Deossa doubled the lead 17 minutes later when Fornals again picked out the pass. Two goals in 26 minutes left Arsenal chasing the game, and their attempts to build momentum were repeatedly disrupted by Betis' control of possession and positioning.

Hincapie's goal in the 32nd minute offered brief hope. Tzolis' assist gave Arsenal a foothold back into the contest and suggested they might yet claw their way back. The goal came at a moment when Betis could have dropped their intensity, but they did not.

Fornals seals it before half-time

The crucial moment came just before the interval when Fornals finished off a move built by Deossa. The goal on 43 minutes effectively ended the contest as a competitive affair. Betis had moved 3-1 up and Arsenal, despite their efforts, never recovered. Fornals' performance - two assists and a goal - was the standout individual display of the first half, and he dictated play whenever the ball came to him.

Betis' superiority was built on simple but effective football: quick passing, intelligent movement, and the ability to exploit space Arsenal left in midfield. Fornals was the architect of most of it. Once he had a third goal on the board before half-time, the match had run its course. Arsenal would have had to produce something remarkable in the second period to turn it around, and nothing suggested they had it in them after that opening 45 minutes.

The friendly served its purpose for Betis, who will head home with a convincing win. For Arsenal, it was a sobering afternoon that exposed defensive vulnerabilities and a lack of cohesion in the middle of the pitch.