Athletic Club - Young Boys

Athletic Club has had a bad start in the Europa League after falling defeated in San Mamés (0-1) against Young Boys. Doumbia has scored the goal for the visitors in the minute 22 of play and the rival has even known how to administer its advantage until the end. What’s worse is that Athletic Club failed to take advantage of a penalty at the start of the second half, after goalkeeper Wolfli parried a shot from Llorente from eleven meters. Athletic Club will be gambling its future in this competition next week in Bern with a single card and to do so it will have to obviously improve its game. The good thing is that there’s still time.

The only positive thing has been the debut of Iker Muniain, who is placed between Domingo Gomez-Acedo and Piru Gainza, second all time with the calendar at hand, when it comes to recalling early debuts in official competition. All three were over sixteen but less than seventeen years of age at the time of participating in that unforgettable appointment.

As soon as the match kicked-off it became obvious, in case someone had any doubt or previous prejudice, that the task at hand was very complicated. There have been two fundamental reasons on which to lay the foundations of certainty: on the one hand the Swiss demonstrated a much higher and constant pace and, on the other hand, they appeared better positioned on the pitch, and they were, besides being faithful to their style of play based on repeated triangulations with the ball from the edge of their area. With such a panorama the Young Boys didn’t suffer any serious danger until after the half hour, when they were already ahead. Javi Martinez finished off a pass from Susaeta, but high, and Yeste made the goalie intervene from a free-kick in the minute 40.

One more item, taking out the ball was not complicated because the pressure was either not correct or it didn’t take place where it should; a bit of everything. The goal had arrived after a local loss and a mad dash, with track included and coverage subject to improvement, by Degen, whose shot was parried by Iraizoz, with such bad luck that the ball has gone directly to Doumbia’s head and straight into the net. The second clear Swiss option, they didn’t need much more, had arrived in the 29 after a shot by Schneuwly which Iraizoz deflected to corner.

With a visiting team that was superior and resignation in the stands everything resembled the comparison between a five-speed car and one that already offers the possibility of six-speeds. Around Yapi, with strength, speed, that is, the capability to overwhelm, and confidence were the Young Boys, while our players were weighed down and without spark.

As if that weren’t enough, the second half began with another option for Young Boys, however, the also newcomer in official match, with the blue and white jersey yesterday, Xabi Castillo, stuck the tip of his boot in to ward off Regazzoni’s shot.

That hasn’t been the tendency, not by far. Athletic Club started warming up and at least there was spiritual union with the spectators. The lines closer together, recovering the ball further ahead even with the risk of multiplying the gaps in the back, without no changes after the break other than David Lopez coming in for Yeste on the left wing, in the minute 51 we had a great opportunity to enter a new scenario with a balanced scoreboard. Iraola has been object of a penalty, but Llorente’s shot was deflected by the visiting goalie, which came, thank goodness, with the ‘branding’ of being the Swiss’ most fragile flank. Four minutes later, Javi Martinez attempted a header, but wide, and a few minutes after Muniain, the local “Young boy” was welcomed by a euphoric crowd.

The yellow-and-blacks began to notice the weight of the minutes, but as they are three or four weeks ahead in their preparation with respect to our team, their decline has gone at the hand of the logic that our team has suffered and thus the effervescence decreased so much so that in the last twenty minutes we can only register, as plays that tempted the goal, a high volley by Iraola and a free kick that Iraizoz saved.

Athletic, lacking sparkle in the wings to overpower with assurance, did reach other warm areas with crossing possibility, but the first official match of the season hasn’t been a model of virtues on the matter either. The future doesn’t seem too promising in the first of four official competitions to be disputed this campaign and the only thing left to do is attack without truce as a way to making a comeback. If it hasn’t been possible on a renewed turf that has responded well in record time, it will have to be on the state-of-the-art artificial turf. There are no excuses and, fortunately, there is a great margin for improvement.