After scoring first in 11 of their 13 European games this season, Betis pressed for another early goal in front of a packed Estadio Benito Villamarín, as both Jesus Rodriguez and Natan fired over inside the opening 15 minutes.
Midway through the first half, the hosts found the breakthrough, with Cedric Bakambu racing onto Pablo Fornals through ball and finishing his fifth Conference League goal in four appearances under Slawomir Abramowicz.
Jagiellonia saw little of the ball in the opening 45 minutes but displayed their counter-attacking threat when Darko Churlinov’s shot from Dusan Stojinovic’s cross forced Betis goalkeeper Fran Vieites into action.
However, it was Betis who managed to strike again before half-time as J. Rodriguez reacted first to Bakambu’s deflected shot and the 19-year-old curled in his first-ever European goal from six yards.
Jagiellonia thought they’d pulled a goal back straight after the restart, but Leon Flach was lurking in an offside position when he poked in from close range.
In an end-to-end start to the second period, Betis then almost added a decisive third as J. Rodriguez’s low first-time shot clattered off the post. Natan also struck the frame of the goal late on, rising to meet Isco’s corner with a thumping header that clipped the post.
Manuel Pellegrini’s Betis took control of this first-leg tie and Los Verdiblancos will be dreaming of progressing to their first-ever UEFA competition semi-final if they can produce similar heroics next Thursday in Bialystok.
Adrian Siemieniec’s Jagiellonia struggled to get going in Seville, but the Polish side will perhaps feel more confident in the second leg, considering they have won seven of their previous eight at the Bialystok City Stadium.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Jesus Rodriguez (Real Betis)