1-1. An own goal in added time stops Athletic

Bilbao, Sep 29 (EFE).- An unfortunate own goal in the 93rd minute stopped Athletic in Mamés in a match that ran for a good part towards the fourth straight victory for the ‘lions’, who had taken the lead on the scoreboard , and that went wrong with the locals and with the expulsion of goalkeeper Julen Agirezabala in the 81st minute.

It was quite a carom, a clearance by Unai Núñez to the post that fell on the back of Alex Padilla to end up inside the three local posts, which equaled Mikel Jauregizar’s first goal as an Athletic player that seemed to be worth until almost the end.

With this tie, the Bilbao team remains at the top of the table and is once again provisionally in the Champions League position, while Sevilla continues to add to escape from the bottom.

The two alignments seemed to advance a 1-4-2-3-1 in Athletic and a 1-4-3-3 in Sevilla, but the locals were more in a 1-4-1-4, with Jauragizar more interior to pivot, and the visitors in 1-4-4-2, with Peque next to Iheanacho and Lukébakio and Ejuke on the wings.

Athletic had the first option in the first minute, but Unai Gómez, one of the four who remained in the eleven compared to Thursday in Rome, had a header deflected that he hooked well into the center from the right of Nico.

Athletic midfielder Jauregizar (3d) shoots on goal to score 1-0 during the LaLiga match between Athletic Bilbao and Sevilla played this Sunday at the San Mamés stadium in Bilbao. EFE/ Miguel Toña

Sevilla reacted and linked two consecutive chances from Peque in the 7th minute. The first, from a Barco cross, went wide and the second, from point-blank range, was stopped by Agirrezabala and would have been annulled by the VAR had it been a goal by a previous offside.

The ‘lions’ shook off that stretch of Sevilla dominance and, led by Berenguer, regained control and generated several dangerous arrivals. The clearest was a center from Nico in a play started by De Marcos to which Iñaki arrived poorly outlined.

Sevilla also seemed to have shaken off their period of submission, but no. Nico appeared to force a foul whose consequences were 1-0. Berenguer put it in the area, no one was able to clear or finish but the rebound was picked up by Jauregizar and opened the scoring.

Athletic could still have scored 2-0 before the break due to a tremendous mistake by Nyland, who gave the ball to Iñaki when the ball was released. But between the Norwegian goalkeeper, who repelled Williams’ shot, and Badé, who cleared the ball from the sky under the sticks, they avoided that second goal.

The start of the second half gave no respite, as it started with a shot from Ejuke, after a ride down the wing, which Agirrezabala cleared for a corner; and continued with a give and take for ten minutes that closed an impressive shot to Lukebakio’s post from the vertex of the opposite side’s area.

In the middle, a closed center shot from Agoumé, a tremendous play from Iñaki in which he lacked support and a chance from Berenguer in which the Navarrese player failed to ‘puncture’ the aerial ball behind the defense that would have left him alone. before Nyland.

Athletic Bilbao’s debutant midfielder Peio Canales (i) during the LaLiga match against Sevilla this Sunday at the San Mamés stadium in Bilbao. EFE/ Miguel Tona

Both teams regained their breath, the first changes came and Athletic once again enjoyed two good opportunities to widen the gap.

In the first, Berenguer had a hard shot go wide and inside the area after making the wall with Nico; and in the second the little Williams’s shot was blocked by the rival defense from the penalty spot after a rebound by Nyland after a shot by Guruzeta in a play on the right wing by Iñaki.

In the 81st minute came a play that could have marked the end of the clash, an expulsion of the local goalkeeper Agirrezabala for knocking down Mateo being the last defender. Julen did not control a dangerous transfer from Canales and found himself with the newly incorporated one.

Sevilla had the upper hand, Gudelj tested the young Padilla and Lukebakio made it 1-1 in an incredible play.
But the tie did come, in the unfortunate play between Núñez and Padilla, and they could also have reached both 2-1, in a shot by Guruzeta in the 94th minute, and 1-2, in a play by Ejuke in the 95th.

– Technical sheet:

1 – Athletic: Agirrezabala; De Marcos (Yuri, m.71), Paredes, Núñez, Lecue; Jauregizar, Vesga (Galarreta, m.59); Nico Williams, Unai Gómez (Guruzeta, m.59), Berenguer (Canales, m.71); and Iñaki Williams.

1 – Sevilla: Nyland; Carmona (Pedrosa, m.80), Badé, Nianzou, Barco (Juanlu, m.46); Lukebakio, Agoumé (Navas, m.86), Gudelj, Ejuke; Peque (Mateo, m.80) and Iheanacho (Suso, m.59).

Goals: 1-0, m.36: Jauregizar. 1-1, m.93: Padilla, in his own door.

Arbitrator: César Soto Grado (Rioja Committee). He sent off Julen Agirrezabala, in the 81st minute, for knocking down a player while being the last defender. In addition, he showed a yellow card to the visitors Carmona (m.55), Nianzou (96) and Pedrosa (m.97).

VAR referee: Víctor García Verdura (Catalan Committee).

incidences Match of the eighth day of LaLiga EA Sports played in San Mamés before 48,2888 spectators. Official data. Among them about 700 visiting followers who made themselves noticed.
Ramon Orosa