Real Betis in adds to Granada's woes

Real Betis survived the dismissal of defender Juan Vargas to deepen Granada's relegation worries with a 2-0 victory.

Vargas was sent off in the 53rd minute after picking up two yellow cards, with the game at the Estadio Benito Villamarin still goalless.

But late goals from Alfred N'Diaye and Ruben Castro gave Betis back-to-back Primera Division wins for the first time since the start of October and lift them two places in the table to 11th.

Castro's free-kick in the fifth minute of stoppage time came after Granada goalkeeper Andres Fernandez had been red carded for handling outside his area.

Granada came into the game boosted by wins over Deportivo La Coruna and Sporting Gijon which had taken them off the foot of the table.

And they had the game's first opening when Nigerian striker Isaac Success was foiled by Antonio Adan in the Betis goal.

Defender Jean-Sylvain Babin also went close from a corner but Betis' Charly Musonda twice brought saves from Fernandez, who also stopped substitute Jorge Molina opening the scoring.

Granada took advantage of Vargas' departure to dominate the second half and David Barral and Ruben Rochina tested Adan.

But Betis celebrated an unlikely hero as N'Diaye profited from a corner, his first goal in over two years at the club.

To add to Granada's misery, Fernandez was then red carded and his replacement in goal, the on-loan Inter defender Cristiano Biraghi, could not keep out Castro's free-kick.