Athletic Club - SD Eibar

Athletic and SD Eibar played out a 1-1 draw in the Lions' fifth friendly match of the summer. Marton put the red and whites ahead after a great cross from Imanol and Mario Soriano equalised a quarter of an hour later in a Las Llanas pitch packed with Athleticzales, with the youngest players being the main protagonists of the afternoon. 

The goal for Athletic's new signing came in the 19th minute, when Ander Herrera got the ball rolling quickly after a free-kick in midfield and Imanol Garcia de Albebiz crossed perfectly for Javier Marton, who made the most of the gift.

In the final stretch of the first half, Mario Soriano equalised for the Armeros. The SD Eibar player's shot rebounded off a Zurigorri defender and made Julen Agirrezabala's save impossible. On the way to the break, both teams looked to get on the scoresheet, but were unable to find the desired goal. 

After the restart, former Lion Ager Aketxe tried from outside the area, but the playmaker's shot went high. Athletic, for their part, stretched with a Hugo Rincon drive and a good shot from Adu Ares that failed to find the target. After 60 minutes, the changes came. Valverde brought on Villalibre, Mattheus and Aymane Jelbat, the first experience of both youngsters in the first team. Etxeberria also made four changes to the Eibar side. 

The striker from Gernika almost scored the second from a corner, but his shot, quite forced, went wide. The lions insisted with a new arrival on the left, finished with a header by Guruzeta that went over the crossbar. In the 72nd minute, Oihan Sancet reappeared with his first minutes after his participation in the U-21 European Championship. Alongside the player from Navarre, Lekue, Vesga and Ruiz de Galarreta came on. 

And it was precisely the Eibar player who intimidated his local team with two crosses from inside the area. The Armeros responded with an Arana run and break that Julen Agirrezabala showed his reflexes to keep out. In the closing stages, Athletic also had another chance through Lekue, but the scoreline remained unchanged.