Real Betis travelled to Sevilla on Sunday looking for the three points that would move them into fourth spot in the table and back into a Champions League place.
They were undone by four goals in the opening period, however, as Jose Antonio Reyes and Federico Fazio grabbed two apiece before the interval.
Betis had one back through Ruben Castro after 66 minutes, but they had already been reduced to 10 men with Ruben Perez picking up two yellow cards.
Meanwhile, Ivan Rakitic added gloss to the scoreline with a cool finish in stoppage time.
Read how it all unfolded in Sports Mole's minute-by-minute live commentary below.
Evening all! Our penultimate La Liga clash of week 12 comes from the Estadio Ramon as Sevilla welcome an impressive Betis outfit. The home side have won two of their last five meetings in the league, while Betis boast the same record.
Teams:
Sevilla: Palop; Fazio, Navarro, Spahic, Maduro; Cicinho, Medel, Rakitic, Navas; Reyes, Negredo
Real Betis: Adri; Mario, Martinez, Paulao, Nelson; Perez, Benat, Pozuelo, Carlos, Canas; Castro
Just a quick side note on this patch. We will be joining the action following the completion of Granada vs. Atletico Madrid in around five minutes. We will bring you up-to-date with the action as soon as possible.
Hello all! We join the action six minutes in and Sevilla have already taken an early lead. It came courtesy of a fine finish from Jose Antonio Reyes. Brilliant start from the home side. Awful goalkeeping from Adri.
GOAL! Sevilla 2-0 Real Betis (Fazio)
Oh my word. Sevilla take a two-goal lead as Fazio rises highest in the box to thump his header past the goalkeeper. What an incredible start.
What has happened to the away side's defence? They have been so solid this season. Sevilla have started this match like their lives depend on it.
CHANCE! So nearly number three for Sevilla as Reyes rounds the goalkeeper once more, but this time his effort is just wide of the post. It should have been their third.
We do apologise for joining the match six minutes in. Atletico Madrid have just won away at Granada. I would say we didn't miss much. But that would not be the truth. We are here to stay now!
We have not seen anything from the away side thus far. Benat has had a few touches in midfield, but Ruben Castro has been starved of possession.
Betis have just started to enjoy a spell of possession in the past few moments, but they could well be out of this match already. Navas looks in top form for Sevilla this evening.
Half-chance for Betis as Benat whips a searching cross into the penalty area, but Navarro jumps highest to clear the danger. One goal and this match could turn around.
End-to-end football at the moment as Navas loses possession for Sevilla and Benat finds Castro down the other end, but the striker cannot release his shot.
Pozuelo and Carlos have got to grips with this match in the Betis midfield and Medel and Rakitic have been left chasing shadows. It seems strange to say that with the home side leading 2-0.
CHANCE! Negredo comes close to adding number three as he pounces on a loose ball inside the box, but he cannot find his way past the goalkeeper. The next goal could decide the result of this match.
It's bright play from Navas down the Betis right as he beats Paulao before firing a cross towards Negredo, but Mario is on hand to clear the danger.
CHANCE! Sevilla come close to adding their third as Reyes meets a Navas cross in the box, but Adri makes a fine save to deny the Spaniard. Meanwhile, Betis launch an attack of their own.
It really is end-to-end stuff at the moment as Benat and Pozuelo combine to find Juan Carlos, but Maduro quells the danger. Brilliant excitement in Sevilla.
Change for the away side as Canas is replaced by Jonathan Pereira. The Betis skipper is not happy with that decision and makes his feelings known.
Right. We have 15 minutes on the first period remaining and Sevilla lead 2-0. Betis have impressed since falling behind, but Reyes should have added the home side's third moments ago.
Reyes remains a real livewire for the home side as he collects possession on the left, but Mario is on hand to clear the danger. There is a real balance to the Sevilla side with Reyes and Navas either side of Negredo.
GOAL! Sevilla 3-0 Real Betis (Reyes)
Oh my word. Sevilla extend their lead to 3-0 as Reyes pounces on a loose ball inside the box to finish from close range.
Negredo had smashed the crossbar with a header, but the former Arsenal winger was on hand to score his second. It is a really long way back for Betis and Sevilla are not finished as they flood forward once more.
The home supporters are jumping at the moment and why not? This is as well as their side has played all season. Betis could have moved into fourth with victory this evening, but that appears to be long gone.
In fairness to Betis they are attempting to get back into the match with a host of probing passes in the Sevilla half. However, their final pass has deserted them on more than one occasion.
Little under four minutes of the half remaining and Sevilla are ever so comfortable. Betis do appear to be missing the pace of directness of Joel Campbell in the opening period.
GOAL! Sevilla 4-0 Real Betis (Fazio)
Fazio heads his second of the match and Betis only have themselves to blame after handing possession straight to Reyes out wide.
Betis have just absolutely fallen apart in this opening half. Do they try and close up for the second period? This score really could be anything.
Meanwhile, the fourth official indicates that we will play an additional one minute at the end of the half. What a half it has been.
Sevilla 4-0 Real Betis
So there we have it. Two goals apiece from Reyes and Fazio have handed Sevilla a 4-0 half-time lead over Real Betis. It has been a catalogue of errors from the away side.
Sevilla took the lead after just 12 seconds when Reyes finished from close range before Fazio headed their second. Reyes was again the scorer as he finished his second from close range, before Fazio headed Sevilla into a 4-0 lead moments before the interval.
Let's take a look at some statistics from the opening half of football. Betis have shaded the possession with 54%, but they have managed just one shot to Sevilla's 14. Incredible.
It is difficult to see any possible way for Betis to get back into this match. As it stands they will remain in sixth spot and Sevilla will move into seventh.
Here we go then. Sevilla get us underway in the second period. Can Betis possibly turn this one around? Stay with us for the remainder of the action.
Sevilla begin the second period as they ended the first, on the attack. Negredo comes close to collecting a Reyes cross, but Pozuelo makes the challenge. Meanwhile, change for the away side as Amaya replaces Mario.
Half-chance for the away side as Benat whips a dangerous free kick into the penalty area, but Navarro is on hand to clear the danger.
Meanwhile, according to Sky Sports News, Betis defender Mario asked Paulao to tell the manager that he was injured at half-time. Incredible if that is true.
For the neutral it is a shame that the first half panned out as it did. Not that Sevilla and their supporters will mind. Not a great deal to report in the second period thus far.
Another half-chance for Betis as Benat whips a dangerous free kick into the Sevilla half, but Spahic clears the danger. Meanwhile, it's handbags at dawn between Navas and Ruben Perez as the latter is booked.
It has been a really scrappy second period thus far as play is stopped for a host of fouls from both teams. Not a great deal of football being played at the moment.
RED CARD: Ruben Perez: The away side are reduced to 10 men as the midfielder is sent off for a second yellow card.
Well I was going to say it could not get much worse for Betis, but it has done. His first yellow was for a tug on Reyes and the second for handball. It is such a cheap sending off.
CHANCE! Reyes comes close to adding his third as be bends the resulting free kick towards the bottom corner, but Adri makes a fine save to push the ball wide.
Meanwhile, change for Sevilla as Reyes is replaced by Diego Perotti. It has been a fine performance from the Spanish winger.
GOAL! Sevilla 4-1 Real Betis (Castro)
Betis have their consolation strike as the forward smashes his effort home from close range. Game on?!
Perotti appears to have a problem with his left ankle here as he goes down in a heap. However, the Argentine seems alright to continue. He has been so unlucky with injuries in recent seasons.
Perotti is back on the field of play. Little under 20 minutes of normal time remaining and Sevilla have possession. There are a few more goals left in this one if they so wish.
Final change for the away side as Juan Carlos is replaced by Salva Sevilla. Meanwhile, Perotti is clearly struggling at the moment and could yet be forced off the pitch.
The match is a bit of a non-event at the moment with fouls and changes interrupting what was left of the tempo in the second period. The damage had already been done by Sevilla.
Final change for the home side as Maduro is replaced by Javier Hervas. Both sides are just playing within themselves as we approach the latter stages of the match.
There have just been so many challenges in this second period. This half has been littered with fouls and substitutions and not a great deal else truth be told.
Half-chance for Sevilla to add their fifth as Negredo slips a low pass towards Navas, but the winger just cannot collect and Amaya clears the danger. Betis have held such a high line all evening.
Another half-chance for the home side as Rakitic strikes an effort from outside the box, but it is just wide of the post as Negredo is replaced by Baba Diawara.
Betis push for their second in the remaining moments of the match as Ruben Castro buys a corner. However, Benat's cross is poor and doesn't beat the first man. It has been that kind of night for the away side.
Meanwhile, the fourth official indicates that we will play three minutes of added time.
GOAL! Sevilla 5-1 Real Betis (Rakitic)
Again it's woeful defending from Betis and Rakitic is on hand to stroke the ball home from inside the box. Simple.
Sevilla end the match on the attack as they go in search of their sixth. However, it appears that they will have to settle for just five.
Sevilla 5-1 Real Betis
So there we have it. Sevilla move into seventh spot in the table with a thumping win over Betis. That just about does it for me this evening. Thanks for joining Sports Mole for the action. Goodnight!
