Zaragoza 0-Athletic Club 2: Well deserved

As the Liga advances, our team smoothes down the course in the competition. A more than deserved victory, by 0-2, in the Zaragoza pitch also helps for the negative statistical loads to clear away. With this victory we obtained the first away win in the Liga, we are able to maintain the goals at zero as visitors, we achieve the fifth triumph in six matches and we move away from the danger zone on the table; all this on the day in which Athletic Club has achieved its goal number 4,000 in the Liga. Santi Ezquerro joins the list made up by Bergareche (goal number 1) Iriondo (goal 1,000) Latorre (goal 2,000) and Lizeranzu (goal 3,000). This job must be ratified on Wednesday against Majorca, thereby approaching last season’s numbers. All this, and we’re still alive in the King’s Cup and UEFA Cup.

And for it the red-and-whites will have to show the same virtues as in La Romareda. Independently of the players aligned, the secret is in the strength of the group. In Zaragoza, from a first moment, our players have given that impression. Leaving aside a shot by Villa and a penalty to Yeste which was not called, all the options have been red-and-white: A centre by Etxeberria, a header by Ezquerro, a drive by Yeste to the crossbar… though unsuccessful and Zaragoza has taken advantage of it to stretch with options by Savio and Movilla.

In the heat of balance, this time a penalty on Yeste has been sanctioned, but Luis Garcia has stopped Iraola’s shot. In that circumstance the team has known how to maintain a cold head and control.

Perhaps for that reason the red-and-white superiority has been clearer in the second half, reflected in the 0-1, with a clean header by Ezquerro coming out of a corner in the minute 54. Casas and Etxeberria have had individual opportunities in the later minutes, but the advantage was still not definitive.

Zaragoza had a pair of changes to look for the equalizer with options for Milito and Savio, but they were ruined by Aranzubia in the minutes 74 and 76. Almost immediately Ezquerro has taken advantage of a long pass by Orbaiz to free Luis Garcia in his exit and score the 0-2 from a distance into an empty net; goal number 4,000 in the Liga in the history of Athletic Club. Etxeberria has had another opportunity a few minutes later and the Zaragoza players have tried, without success, to take advantage of their last options.