Borussia Dortmund manager Niko Kovac has lauded Real Betis for a 'compact' display after their Champions League win on Wednesday.
The BVB defeated Los Beticos 2-1 at the Signal Iduna Park with Konstantinos Karetsas scoring the winner in the 72nd minute after Aitor Ruibal canceled Fabio Silva's opener.
In what was the first official meeting between the sides, Dortmund and Betis contested a tense first half that produced no goals despite the former finding a few openings.
Kovac hailed Betis for their resolute defending after the break, emphasizing that this is a side that has earned a place in Europe's premier club tournament.
Speaking to the press after the game, he said:
"We created some promising plays after finding Julian Ryerson out wide. Betis was very compact in its four-three-three formation. It was obvious to everyone that this isn't a team that accidentally stumbled into playing in the Champions League, but one that takes the field with very good, experienced players."
To compound Dortmund's misery, Guirassy went off with an injury just 34 minutes into the kick-off as the Black and Yellow were forced to play without their main targetman for almost an hour.
However, Fabio Silva rose to the occasion and broke the deadlock just four minutes into the second half with a close-range finish after Jobe Bellingham's original effort was blocked and the rebound fell kindly to him.
Karetsas, who replaced Guirassy in the opening half, produced a fine finish from the edge of the box for 2-1 just five minutes after Aitor Ruibal had equalized for Los Beticos.
"This wasn’t exactly an easy task for us. In the second half, we played much better. We had to work hard, but the win is well-deserved and important for us. "
With three wins in four Champions League games, Dortmund climbed up to 12th position in the League Phase standings with nine points in the bag.
As things stand, the BVB are heading into the knockout playoffs again as it's imperative for them to finish inside the top eight positions to seal a direct passage into the Round of 16.
Kovac is now looking forward to a crunch encounter with reigning Premier League champions Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on 24 November.
"To finish in the top eight, we need seventeen or eighteen points. Now, we’ll see what happens when we go to London. "
Borussia Dortmund play SV Elversberg in the Bundesliga on Saturday for their last game before the international break.
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