Athletic Club - Real Sociedad

Athletic Club fell to a 0-1 loss against Real Sociedad in this year’s Basque Derby at San Mamés. In the 4th minute, the visitors hit Athletic on the counter and Mikel Oyarzabal played in Portu for the only goal of the match.

It was a game of few chances in which strong defences kept the strikers at bay. La Real were solid and hard to break down for most of the match, barely letting Athletic into their box and intensely closing down the flanks.

Gaizka Garitano looked to give Athletic some fresh impetus with a triple change ten minutes into the second half. Oihan Sancet, Jon Morcillo and Unai López all came off the bench hoping to make an impact.

Unfortunately, López was taken off less than twenty minutes later with an injury. The central midfielder had fired a free-kick over the crossbar just minutes before being replaced by Raúl García, who made his 500th career LaLiga appearance.

The San Sebastian-based side came close to getting a second. Alexander Isak struck the crossbar from a free-kick and Unai Simón kept out Oyarzabal from another set-piece just moments afterwards. The fixture ebbed to and end and Athletic did not have many chances to find an equaliser. Yuri Berchiche almost found Morcillo but it was not to be.

Not the end to the year lions wanted, but there’s no time to feel sorry for ourselves. Elche come to Bilbao on Sunday.