Standard 1-Athletic Club 7: Historical

Athletic Club has made history in Liege after defeating their host, Standard, by 1-7. In addition to entering as head of the group in the phase of 32 teams whose pairing off we will know today, Friday, the standard has been set almost insurmountable when it comes to the number of goals scored.

To date, in European competitions, the 5-0 obtained before the Ujpest Dozsa and the 5-3 against Manchester, both at home, stood out. In the Cup the highest score at home was the 1-7 harvested in the 1980/1981 season against Binéfar and in the League it has only been surpassed on one occasion as visitor, concretely in the 1958/1959 campaign before Osasuna (1-8). On another occasion, in the 1929/1930 season, the match against Real finished with an identical 1-7.

And to make history Athletic Club has done what was necessary; take advantage of the rival’s weaknesses and its vertical game from the beginning, thereby consolidating its classification in a jam-packed Maurice Dufrasne. Seven goals, an amount easily pronounced but difficult to obtain, with opportunities to score even more, although also to receive them.

By the 9th minute Ezquerro had already scored twice in Runje’s goal, although the locals have not fallen back in their delivery of long balls and Onyewu has put them back in the match. The red-whites have continued the same and in another counter offensive a penalty was committed on Etxeberria, but Runje has been ready to fend off Iraola’s shot, although he hasn’t been as ready for the third goal, work of Yeste before the halftime. The elimination round was on track and perhaps the most difficult was still missing, which was not more than to sentence the game.

Said and done. After a good wall of Tiko with Etxeberria, this one has yielded to Ezquerro so that #9 could close his hat-trick and take the ball home.

That is when the classification for the following round was settled and until the end the lions have rounded off a historical night. Iraola did score his second penalty shot. Del Horno, from a header, has scored the sixth goal and Etxeberria culminated an excellent pass by Yeste for the seventh goal for the enjoyment of the over 2,000 fans present to support our team in situ; without forgetting, of course, the joy of those that followed the match from home.

Seven goals for history, a match to remember and alive in three competitions, at least until next year; not bad, but as it is said, it is history, because on Sunday the Liga awaits us in Zaragoza. Meanwhile the team has demonstrated that it knows how to win away matches, that it knows how to overcome ‘hell’ and how to face the consequences in decisive encounters.