Athletic Club 1-Cádiz 0: A gripping ending

Athletic Club was able to pick up three critical points in the last moments that, as occurs when they arrive in an agonistic manner, should have more value than the merely mathematical. They came from a penalty in the 94th minute when Tiko converted the second attempt, after the referee ordered a repeat of Iraola’s previous shot.

Set to choose, there were other headlines that perfectly fit what was witnessed. For example ‘Referee Day’, ‘Three goals to win 1-0’, ‘Nothing at all’ or ‘The influx of fear’. Finally, on this matchday, thanks to the three points the team leaves the relegation spots with eleven finals ahead, long suffering and the fact that, not because it’s announced does it put to the test, day after day, the strength of hundreds of thousands of hearts.

Beyond the final result it’s not easy finding prominent occasions. The goalkeepers have not had to make any intervention worthy of mention except for interventions to rival centers or simulated shots. On the part of Athletic Club, Yeste created danger in the 5th minute, but the center was barely missed by Gurpegi. Aduriz hit a header out in the minute 30, and Aduriz himself, shot high from the edge of the area in the 48 minute, and Guerrero, forced, at the hands of Limia in the 89 minute. And Cadiz? A high header by Fleurquín in the 80th minute has been its most dangerous play in spite of enjoying numerical superiority since the beginning of the match.

This is how it happened and surely it had influence in the development of the game. Both teams have played poorly, demonstrating the positions that they occupy on the table, but the referee has acted the same way on ‘his’ day, a characteristic that has not been exclusive of the duel in San Mamés and that, without a doubt, makes him the center of all glances.

It can be said that the second yellow card shown to Amorebieta in the 17th minute meant the starting pistol shot and has extended until the final moments with different fortune for both teams and incidence even in the decisive moments. Therefore, a generalized ‘fail’ for yesterday’s actors in San Mamés.

Nevertheless, points are lovely if it gets us out of the qualifying hole. The good thing is that it happened without practically shooting at goal. On the contrary, our team has demonstrated how it is possible to win a match even when one man short, a facet not shown until the now and certainly taught by the rivals.

As the second half advanced, Cadiz began to take possession of the ball, which is why Clemente chose to try to give speed to the counter-attack and more calibre in the centre of the field. Dañobeitia and Tiko have entered for Yeste and Urzaiz in the 66th minute, while Espárrago changed Sesma for Estoyanoff in the minute 68 and gave way for Oli to substitute Medina, without modifying its scheme much in the minute 77. In the last moments, 87th minute, Guerrero replaced Aduriz, a substitution that in the end has changed the course of the match.

Athletic Club have once again demonstrated that the heart and soul, strength and competitiveness have not left them, a virtue that our followers cling to in spite of all the adversities. Already in injury time and in numerical inferiority, they tried to shove tiredlessly and forced a corner.

Guerrero shot a very tight corner, a candidate to be an Olympic goal, which surpassed the goalie, and the goalline… but Varela punched it away. It was a goal, but video still has the magic of soccer abandoned. Again a penalty, the suffering, the tension and the ghost of the previous meetings in San Mamés. The striker was… Andoni Iraola; who did very well deceiving the goalie, however, as a player from each team entered the pitch the referee decided that the joy would not last. The party continued with a different striker, Tiko, and the same outcome: the goalie to one side and the shot at goal to the other.

Some were on their way home, others didn’t want to or couldn’t look. Everyone was happy, but on the verge of a heartattack. If it’s for the good of the club…