Cucho Hernández scored a crucial penalty for Real Betis to secure a 1-1 draw with Braga during the Europa League quarterfinal first leg on Wednesday. The match began with a somber moment of silence honoring the late Mircea Lucescu, a revered figure in Romanian soccer who passed away earlier this week.
Florian Grillitsch gave Braga an early advantage with a slick heel shot off a corner kick, marking the Portuguese club’s record 98th game in UEFA’s secondary competition. However, Hernández equalized in the 61st minute after his header was denied by goalkeeper Lukáš Hornícek in the first half.
Braga, eyeing their first semifinal since their 2011 runner-up finish, now faces a challenging second leg. Meanwhile, the remaining quarterfinals will take place on Thursday, with Aston Villa facing Bologna, Nottingham Forest traveling to Porto, and Freiburg set to host Celta Vigo.