Soccer-Betis secure promotion to La Liga with two games to spare

MADRID, May 24 (Reuters) - Real Betis secured promotion to La Liga with two games to spare when a 3-0 victory at home to Alcorcon on Sunday guaranteed them first place in the second division and an immediate return to the top flight. Coached by the charismatic Pepe Mel, Seville-based Betis have 84 points with Girona on 78 in second after they won 1-0 at home to Llagostera. Even if Girona win their final two games and draw level with the leaders, Betis will finish first thanks to a superior head-to-head record over the Catalan club. Sporting Gijon, Las Palmas, Real Valladolid and Real Zaragoza currently occupy the four play-off places, with Sporting third (76 points), Las Palmas fourth (72), Valladolid fifth (69) and Zaragoza sixth (60). Betis went down after finishing 11 points adrift at the bottom of La Liga in 2013-14 before Mel returned in December for a second stint in charge following a troubled spell at English club West Bromwich Albion. Second division top scorer Ruben Castro struck twice to put Betis 2-0 ahead at their Benito Villamarin stadium on Sunday, the first a clever chip in the 21st minute and the second from the penalty spot seven minutes into the second half, his 32nd of the campaign. Jorge Molina bundled home a third for the home side in the 65th minute and the final whistle set off wild celebrations on a warm and rainy evening in the Andalusian capital. Eibar, Almeria and Cordoba were the three sides relegated from La Liga this season. (Reporting by Iain Rogers, editing by Mark Meadows)