Athletic Club - Getafe CF
Matchday 5
Liga

Athletic Club - Getafe CF

Athletic Club
Athletic Club
01
Getafe CF
Getafe CF
  • Casquero 86'

LocationSan Mamés , Bilbo

Athletic Club 0-Getafe 1: Outstanding game, disastrous result

Athletic Club has lost (0-1) against Getafe. Casquero scored the only goal of match in…

Athletic Club

Athletic Club has lost (0-1) against Getafe. Casquero scored the only goal of match in the minute 86 of play.

Our team hasn’t been able to round-off the week with a positive result and it wasn’t for lack of desire or game, it simply missed managing the opposing team and that is paid with points.

Without a doubt the game displayed by Athletic Club has been the best of the last five matches disputed so far and besides the strength seen in other encounters, the rojiblancos have demonstrated skill in ball handling, pace and regularity during the clash. Nevertheless, as has been noted on so many occasions, the effectiveness is what brings about point and today’s match hasn’t been the most effective, and not due to a lack of opportunities precisely.

Athletic Club enjoyed an infinity of attempts, more even than against Real Valladolid, with both matches being similar at the beginning as far as the work unfolded by our players until taking control of the match after imposing a very high game pace and controlling ball possession rather well. This time it’s done so with a renewed starting line-up with respect to previous matchdays, in which the double pivot was formed by Orbaiz and Yeste, with Gabilondo as a starter, this time in the left wing.

In spite of some initial trials by the Madrid players, the initiative was local, even turning Jacobo into the hero of the match, sometimes even against his will, as occurred in the first clear occasion when he blocked a free-kick executed by Yeste. It was the prelude of an offensive hurricane, but from which they were able to come out of with flying colours. Llorente’s header got away from Jacobo, but the referee invalidated the following scrum. Immediately afterwards a precise pass by Iraola passed over the goalkeeper, but it bounced too high for Ion Vélez to connect the goal. Two minutes later, Jacobo blocked, again almost involuntarily, a header by Ion Vélez but it was Ibrahim Kas, in the goal line, the one to make the save. In the following play, Ion Vélez passed a header into the area and when it seemed that Llorente was going to push it to goal a defender crossed him and sent it to corner. In the minute 43, Ion Vélez beat the goalie’s exit, but his shot, with little angle, was saved from under the woods by a defence; in that same minute Jacobo blocked a header by Llorente.
At the break, as occurred at the end, the Athletic players retired among applauses and the second half began down the same course.

Soon after Ion Vélez came in, he had a one-on-one with Jacobo, spoiled by the goalie, however the referee didn’t indicated a corner. Casquero threatened from long-range in the minute 50 and unfortunately in the end he has been worse. Víctor Muñoz began to move his pawns, seeing how the panorama didn’t improve, and introduced Guerrón to replace Gavilán, thereby changing the configuration of his wings. In our team, Del Olmo substituted Gabilondo just before the hour of play and, meanwhile, David Lopez once again put the rival goalie to trial. On this occasion, a free-kick which Jacobo cleared after crossing a spider web of legs.

It’s been, despite everything, the most balanced segment, with a slip in by Soldado that Iraizoz blocked in the minute 59. In that play, Amorebieta held on to a rival’s jersey before entering the area, without preventing him to shoot on goal. In the minute 61, Albín shot a direct free-kick which the rojiblanco goalkeeper parried away with his fists.

Athletic, however, didn’t give up and in the minute 62, when it seemed that Ion Vélez could trigger a long-range shot, Mario got in his way. In the 67, Iraola lobbed the ball to Manu, but his hand cut the ball within the area just metres from the referee but he didn’t call anything.
Muñoz brought in Polanski for Celestini, but without preventing Athletic Club from continuing their attack: Jacobo saved another attempt by Ion Vélez and Del Olmo faced up to the goalie in the minute 70. Shortly after, Yeste asked to be substituted, being replaced by Javi Martinez and for Getafe, Belenguer came in for Ibrahim Kas, who had seen a yellow card in a disputed play for tripping Llorente -who has played one hundred matches in First Division- when he was heading toward the goal.

In the minute 83, Iñigo Vélez made his debut in an official match with the Club’s jersey and a draw seemed the most logical result, especially after Soldado wasn’t able to finish off a cross from the left in the minute 85. Unfortunately for the interests of our team, Casquero invented the goal of the day by placing the ball to the right of the goalmouth and has demonstrated how fickle justice or injustice is in soccer. It wasn’t enough for Athletic to carry the weight and control of the match, it wasn’t enough to move the ball right or create a great many attempts, yet what we’ve witnessed has been so clear that even the visiting coach recognized that by merits the result could have been completely the opposite.

Things as they are and after seeing like the opponent, in this case, Athletic was clearly superior and made more than a dozen clear attempts at goal, surely the media that follow Getafe’s current events will be merciless in reviewing Víctor Muñoz’ team. That’s just a joke, because that never happens and because goals are fine and beautiful, but excuses are neither.