Real Betis beat an anemic UD Las Palmas 2-0 here in a Spanish league match, their first since Victor Sanchez replaced Gus Poyet as coach.
Friday's victory brings Betis to 14 points from 12 matches, good enough for 12th place in the La Liga ahead of this weekend's matches, reports Efe.
The Canary Island team are in ninth place with 16 points.
Betis looked much improved under the new manager -- more intense, more committed to defending, and capable of seizing the opportunity from set pieces.
Las Palmas, who last won at Benito Villamarin stadium in 1978, spent much of the night pinned back by the hosts' high press.
Betis' first goal came in the 27 minute on Bruno Gonzalez's header off a well-rehearsed corner.
The outlook darkened further for Las Palmas in first-half stoppage time, when Aïssa Mandi made it 2-0 for the home team, again off a corner.
The visitors showed a lot more energy after the break, but they lacked the creativity or quality to translate that intensity into an effective attack.
--IANS
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