Ex-Tottenham striker shocks Lille as Ethan Mbappe sees red in Champions League thriller

Troy Parrott continued his sensational start to life at Real Betis by scoring the winner in a dramatic Champions League comeback victory over Lille. The Spanish side came from behind twice before Ethan Mbappe’s straight red card ended any realistic chance of a late fightback from the French team.

Betis mark Champions League return with victory

Betis celebrated their return to Champions League football with a thrilling comeback win away to Lille. Former Tottenham forward Parrott struck the decisive goal to cap an action-packed night for the Spanish club.

Lille controlled large parts of the first half and went ahead twice in an end-to-end contest. But an inspired display after the break, along with a crucial red card for the French hosts, helped the Spanish side collect all three points.

Parrott continues impressive form for Real Betis

Ayase Ueda, a summer signing from Feyenoord, netted his second goal in as many matches when he headed home from close range after a well-measured delivery from Mbappe. Marc Bartra quickly brought Betis level with a diving header from Pablo Fornals’ whipped cross, but Alexsandro restored Lille’s lead with a header from a Gaetan Perrin corner.

Bartra equalised again just three minutes into the second half, getting the slightest headed touch on Isco’s free-kick to send it beyond Berke Ozer. Parrott then completed the turnaround by drilling a low shot into the far corner.

The winning goal underlined Parrott’s fine form since joining Betis last month. The former Spurs striker had already shown his quality after scoring the only goal in Friday’s win over Real Madrid.

Mbappe red card adds to Lille misery

Lille’s night took another turn for the worse soon after Parrott’s winner. Ethan Mbappe, the brother of Real Madrid star Kylian, was sent off after seeming to elbow Natan off the ball.

Even after going down to 10 men, the French side pressed hard in search of a late equaliser. They brought on several attacking options, including former Arsenal and Chelsea forward Olivier Giroud, in an effort to break through.

However, the Betis defence stood strong under the late pressure. The Spanish side held off the final push to secure a famous European win on French soil.

Both sides shift focus back to domestic league action

The hard-earned victory gives Betis valuable early momentum on their return to Europe’s premier club competition. The Spanish side will now aim to carry that confidence into domestic action when they travel to face Villarreal in Liga.

Lille, meanwhile, must quickly move on from this frustrating defeat. The French club will host Troyes in Ligue 1 in their next fixture as they look to respond.