Lamine Yamal delivered a dazzling performance as Barcelona defeated Real Betis 5-2 away from home on Saturday, October 17, 2026, extending their perfect start to the Spanish LaLiga season with a ninth consecutive league victory.

The 19-year-old winger opened the scoring with a superb finish and later provided an assist as Barcelona overcame a spirited Betis challenge at the Estadio La Cartuja in Seville.

Rodri, Gabriel Jesus, Eric Garcia and substitute Dani Olmo also scored for Barcelona, while Valentín Gómez and Ez Abde found the net for the hosts.

The victory took Barcelona to 27 points from nine matches, keeping them five points clear at the top of the LaLiga standings. Real Betis remained third with 19 points following the defeat.

Yamal set the tone in the 10th minute with a moment of individual brilliance. Cutting in from the right, the young forward created space before curling a left-footed effort from outside the penalty area into the top corner, leaving the Betis goalkeeper with little chance.

Real Betis responded in the 27th minute when Pablo Fornals delivered a cross into the box and Valentín Gómez rose above the Barcelona defence to head home the equaliser.

Barcelona regained the lead four minutes before half-time. Rodri powered a header into the net from Fermín López’s corner in the 41st minute, restoring the visitors’ advantage.

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Betis appeared to have drawn level again shortly afterwards when Giovani Lo Celso scored with a spectacular volley. However, the goal was disallowed following a video assistant referee (VAR) review that identified a handball by Cucho Hernández earlier in the move.

Barcelona increased their advantage shortly after the restart. In the 51st minute, Yamal drove down the right flank before squaring the ball for Gabriel Jesus, who finished neatly inside the penalty area to make it 3-1.

Betis responded almost immediately, with Ez Abde finishing a counterattack in the 53rd minute to reduce the deficit to 3-2 and revive hopes of a comeback.

However, the contest changed dramatically a minute later when Betis midfielder Facundo Bernal was sent off following an altercation with Yamal. Bernal was dismissed for violent conduct after headbutting the Barcelona winger, while Yamal received a yellow card for his involvement in the incident.

With Betis reduced to 10 players, Barcelona took greater control of the match and exploited the numerical advantage.

Eric Garcia extended the lead in the 62nd minute after Pau Cubarsí helped direct the ball across goal from a set-piece situation, allowing Garcia to finish from close range.

Substitute Dani Olmo completed the scoring in the 81st minute, curling a right-footed effort into the top corner to seal an emphatic 5-2 victory for the visitors.

The result strengthened Barcelona’s position at the summit of LaLiga, with the Catalan side recording nine wins from nine league matches and scoring 39 goals during that run.

Barcelona have also maintained an impressive start across all competitions, having won their first 11 competitive matches of the campaign.

The victory comes ahead of a demanding week for Hansi Flick’s side, with a Champions League meeting against Paris Saint-Germain and the much-anticipated El Clásico against Real Madrid on the horizon.

For Yamal, the performance further underlined his importance to Barcelona’s attack. His opening goal and assist for Gabriel Jesus proved decisive in a match that remained competitive until Bernal’s dismissal.

Real Betis, meanwhile, will look to regroup after a defeat in which their attacking moments offered promise but defensive difficulties and the red card ultimately worked against them.

Former Super Eagles coach Clemens Westerhof has been diagnosed with colon cancer and is reportedly in critical condition at a hospital in the Netherlands, prompting his wife to appeal for prayers and assistance.

Westerhof, 86, is receiving treatment at Rijnstate Hospital in Arnhem, his hometown, according to his wife, Lilian, who disclosed the development in an interview with Vanguard’s Saturday Editor, Onochie Anibeze.

Lilian said doctors informed the family of the cancer diagnosis after Westerhof was taken to the hospital on Wednesday. She described the news as devastating and expressed concern about his condition.

“The doctor just told us he has colon cancer and we are all devastated. He is in a critical condition and emotional, talking about our two daughters. He wants to live. We need help. We need prayers,” she said.

The diagnosis comes as the former Nigerian national team coach continues to face other health challenges. According to his wife, Westerhof had previously been battling Alzheimer’s disease.

Lilian also expressed concern about the care her husband was receiving at the Arnhem hospital, saying she hoped to transfer him to a better-equipped medical facility in Amsterdam or Germany.

“They appear to have given up. I don’t understand,” she said, describing her concerns about his treatment.

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Westerhof remains one of the most influential coaches in the history of Nigerian football, having led the Super Eagles through a celebrated period in the early 1990s.

The Dutch tactician took charge of Nigeria’s national team in 1989 and helped build a squad that became one of Africa’s most prominent sides. Under his leadership, Nigeria finished second at the 1990 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Algeria and won bronze at the 1992 tournament in Senegal.

His greatest achievement with the team came in 1994, when Nigeria won the Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia. That same year, he guided the Super Eagles to qualify for their first-ever FIFA World Cup, held in the United States.

Nigeria reached the round of 16 at the World Cup before being eliminated by Italy after extra time. The team’s performances during Westerhof’s tenure also helped it rise to fifth in the FIFA world rankings, a landmark achievement for Nigerian and African football.

His contribution to the development of the Super Eagles earned him a lasting place in the country’s football history, with many fans remembering the team’s attacking style and the emergence of several players who became household names.

News of Westerhof’s diagnosis is likely to concern Nigerian football supporters who remember his role in the national team’s successes during the 1990s.

As the former coach receives treatment in the Netherlands, his family is seeking support and prayers while expressing hope that he can access the care they believe he needs.