Athletic Club 3-Levante 1: We did it this time

Athletic Club will confront the League break with good face after defeating (3-1) Levante with all justice. Just as it happened last Wednesday, 16 March, Athletic Club’s beginning has been good, but on this occasion besides starting in command, Athletic Club has increased the advantage, has cooled the match by setting the necessary pace and has even controlled without excessive scares to the goal of the rival who shortened distances. Llorente, from the eleven initial, has scored two goals, his first two in the Liga after the three that he already has in the Copa, and Urzaiz has scored the third, leaving for statistics the Valencian goal obtained by Juanma.

Europe is just as far from a few days ago, at five-six points, but the team has demonstrated that they know how to respond and that it is ready to take advantage of the League break to confront with energy the final stretch of the League and Copa.

Since the start Athletic Club has gone out to win the match. In the third minute of play, Tiko has finished off a header that barely went out. Tiko himself has tried it in the minute 10 and immediately afterwards Etxeberria has done so, while Llorente found the prize to the initial rojiblanco offensive game in the minute 11. He received a good kick from Prieto and has scored with the outside of his right foot. The offensive tendency has maintained for some minutes and Orbaiz has even been able to score again at the quarter hour.

However, it is difficult to maintain that pace of game for too many minutes and Levante has reacted, mainly thanks to the speed of Sergio Garcia, who has created most of the options for the team from Levante in first half. The first two came in the minutes 20 and 24, with satisfying response by Tiko in the form of a kick to the rival post in the minute 25. Again Sergio Garcia has twice threatened Aranzubia, but inserted between both there was a great drive, though slightly high, by Gurpegi with the left. In order to shelve the first half, Camacho has had the last option before the break.

Taking into account that the three matches lost in San Mamés in the present season had known the rojiblanco advantage on the scoreboard, the script for the second half was still to be written. Happily our team has left very few chances for surprise. Orbaiz has paved the way in the minute 48 and Llorente has sealed it with his second goal in the 52′, after having connected a splendid header as complement to a not less good cross by Del Horno.

Tranquillity has arrived at San Mamés and Gurpegi has even sent a new ball to the post in the minute 67, but Levante has been able to trim distances in an isolated play in the minute 73, when Juanma has scored taking advantage of a previous foul of Sergio Garcia on Del Horno.

There were 17 minutes left in the match, but Athletic has played them with their heads. It has not lost site and theirs have been the dangerous actions, and a new goal, until the end. Etxeberria could have scored in the minute 78, although Urzaiz has done so in the minute 87 after finishing off with a low drive with his left from a great counter strike dribbled by the player from Elgoibar. The bad news, a fifth yellow card for Tiko; and the good news, the opportunity to recharge batteries during the League break after showing us that they know how to win.