A great win in Gran Canaria
A great win in Gran Canaria
Athletic's first away win of the season comes in a hard-fought match that was made complicated by Jauregizar's second-half dismissal
It's a golden victory, even if it is only Matchday five. Athletic's 2-3 win over UD Las Palmas offers a much-needed boost before we face CD Leganés on Thursday evening.
It was a topsy turvy match, with Athletic twice seeming to have the three points in the bag but then needing to dig deep.
A Mikel Jauregizar red card in the second half, with the Lions 0-2 up, complicated matters. And when Aitor Paredes made it 1-3 in the 75th minute, it seemed a foregone conclusion before Alex Muñoz pulled one back.
Nonetheless, Los Leones showed grit and determination to hold on and take victory. Goals from Oihan Sancet, Nico Williams and the centre-half shaped a tricky evening.
Athletic showed their hunger to win from the start. And by the half-hour mark they were leading 0-2, Sancet and Nico scoring, while Oihan had another effort ruled out for offside.
Apart from an early scare in which Alberto Moleiro and Kirian Rodriguez forced saves from Julen Agirrezabala, Ernesto Valverde's side completely dominated the first half. Paredes stopped Kirian from making it 1-2 by sliding into clear the midfielder's shot off the line.
It all came to a head when Jauregizar was sent off after a mismatch which saw him bring down Sandro as the last man. To make matters worse, Sandro scored with a thunderous strike from the subsequent free-kick.
Athletic dug in at the back and poached a goal from a corner. Alex Berenguer put in a great cross for Iñaki Williams to head back across goal and Paredes, with the instinct of a striker, attacked the back post to score.
But there was still more suffering to come at the Estadio Gran Canaria, which rose to its feet for Nico when the winger was subbed off.
Alex Suarez headed in a cross to make the final ten minutes more tense and the three points more valuable.