La Liga returns! Ocampos stars as Sevilla beat Real Betis in El Gran Derbi

You have to go back four months, to Feb. 9, to find the last time Sevilla's Lucas Ocampos failed to score in a LaLiga game. He was once again the star of the show on Thursday as the Spanish top-flight returned following a three-month pause due to the coronavirus pandemic, scoring a penalty and setting up a goal for Fernando in a 2-0 win over Real Betis in a fan-less Seville derby.

Ocampos broke the deadlock in the second half from 12 yards after Marc Bartra was adjudged to have fouled Luuk de Jong. The Argentine converted from the spot to take his scoring streak in LaLiga to five games. The wait for this one, though, his 11th in the league this season, stretches back to March 7, when he netted in a draw against Atletico Madrid.

Less than a week later, LaLiga was suspended as Spain locked down in an attempt to stem the spread of Covid-19. Thanks to the hard work of the league's president Javier Tebas, in collaboration with the Spanish FA (RFEF) and the Spanish government, the season is set to be concluded. Sevilla's win against Betis was the first of what is hoped will be 110 games played before July 19.

Of course, it's not football as we know it. The Sevilla anthem was still blared out around the Sanchez Pizjuan before the game, audio of fans singing it piped into the stadium, but there were no supporters there to watch the game. Instead, La Liga filled the stands with virtual fans for television viewers and added sound effects for good measure, too (you could turn them off if you wanted).

On the pitch, Sevilla had the best chances in the first half. The lively Ocampos thumped the bar and De Jong and Jules Kounde both headed off target. After the break, Joan Jordan kicked the air instead of the ball when teed up by Jesus Navas but the opener was coming.

Referee Mateu Lahoz awarded a penalty just before the hour when Bartra challenged De Jong for a header at a corner, clumsily jumping into him. "It was incredible," the former Barcelona defender complained after the game. "I just won the header. You could see in the reaction of the other team that nobody thought it was a penalty."

Ocampos sent Joel Robles the wrong way and six minutes later it was two. A short corner found Ocampos, whose brilliant flick was headed in by Fernando.

Betis attempted to rally but chances were few and far between. Borja Iglesias headed wide before being taken off and a strike from substitute Joaquin was well blocked as time fizzled out for the visitors.

LaLiga's slogan for the resumption of the campaign is #BacktoWin but that was not the case for Betis. They spent the week talking about qualification for Europe but will end it looking over their shoulder. They're eight points clear of relegation but have now played a game more.

The derby win could probe huge for Sevilla in their race for Champions League football, though. Before the league resumed, they sat third, but just two points separated them, Real Sociedad, Getafe and Atletico Madrid. A win over their rivals, celebrated at full-time in front of empty stands, provided the perfect return and a timely morale boost.

"I had never played a derby here before and even though the fans are not here I still wanted to honour them and make it feel like they were and show that we are working hard for them," Ocampos said of the on-the-whistle celebrations.