Braga and Real Betis stay level in their Europa League quarter-final, after a 1-1 draw in Portugal. Florian Grillitsch scored a stylish early opener, but Cucho Hernandez replied from the penalty spot. The tie now moves to Seville in eight days, with both sides sensing progress remains finely balanced.

Real Betis ended the night satisfied after avoiding a first-leg defeat in a fourth straight Europa League knockout tie. Braga, meanwhile, will regret letting a strong position slip, especially after controlling long phases and defending well for most of the contest at the Estadio Municipal de Braga.

The match’s decisive moment came just after the hour, when Jean-Baptiste Gorby brought down Abde Ezzalzouli inside the area with a careless tackle. The referee pointed to the spot, and Hernandez powered the penalty into the top-left corner, giving Lukas Hornicek no chance and wiping out Braga’s earlier advantage.

That setback damaged more than the scoreline. Braga entered this tie with a strong defensive record, mirroring the famous quarry face behind one goal at their stadium. Another clean sheet would have moved Hornicek level with Volkan Demirel and Sergio Romero for most Europa League shutouts in a single campaign since 2009-10.

Earlier, Braga appeared ready to seize full control. In the fifth minute, Diego Rodrigues delivered a corner to the near post. Grillitsch met it with a clever backheel flick that sent the ball past the defence and goalkeeper, adding to an earlier warning when Ricardo Horta had gone close from the edge of the box.

Real Betis responded quickly and thought they had levelled within two minutes, when Marc Bartra finished from close range. However, the assistant’s flag went up for offside in the build-up. Bartra later climbed highest from another attack and headed against the post, as Betis began to grow into the contest.

Both teams created further openings before the break. Hornicek denied Hernandez with a save low to a bouncing header, preserving Braga’s narrow lead. At the other end, Pau Victor had a good chance but sliced a volley wide after a delicate scooped pass from Victor Gomez, missing a chance to extend the advantage.

The second half became more cautious after Hernandez’s equaliser, with neither side keen to open up completely. Braga tried to regain control through possession, while Real Betis focused on compact defending and counter-attacks. Clear chances were rare, as both coaches appeared content to protect a scoreline that kept the tie alive.

Real Betis almost stole a late victory in stoppage time when Antony curled a shot towards the top-left corner. The effort drifted just wide, leaving Braga relieved but also aware that momentum had shifted slightly. The xG numbers reflected the balance, with Braga recording 1.39 and Betis finishing on 1.54, underlining how little separated the teams.

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The final result keeps the Europa League quarter-final open going into the return leg in Seville. Braga lose the chance for a record-equalling eighth Hornicek clean sheet, yet still travel with the tie level. Real Betis carry confidence from their away goal and late pressure, setting up a tense second meeting between two evenly matched sides.