Yeray's 84th minute header gives Athletic three golden points in their fight for a Champions League spot
Athletic Club head into the international break on a high. The Zurigorri are in the quarter-finals of the Europa League and fourth in the LaLiga table with an eight-point lead over fifth, which could also be a Champions League place this season.
The Lions picked up well-deserved 0-1 win at the Sánchez Pizjuán thanks to another Alex Berenguer set-piece, this time faithfully headed into the net by Yeray. With ten matches to go, it's a victory that has Athletic well placed to qualify for Europe's premier competition.
With eight changes to the starting XI after the Roma match, Ernesto Valverde's showed his squad has depth, and the players repaid that trust with a spectacular team performance. They dealt with the challenge when Sevilla FC pushed for a goal and always kept the faith.
Athletic should have been 0-1 up by half-time. Berenguer struck the woodwork from a free-kick and Mikel Vesga had a penalty saved by Orjan Nyland after Saúl Ñiguez handballed in the box. The Lions felt slightly aggrieved Saúl didn't receive second yellow and the Sevilla coach, Francisco Javier Garcia Pimienta, subbed the player during the break.
Unai Simón kept the Zurigorri in the game with two massive saves to deny Dodi Lukebakio and then Chidera Ejuke. On the hour mark, Valverde made a triple sub to give Athletic some fresh legs.
The Lions pushed hard for victory and found it. Nyland did everything his could to prevent it, first stopping Nico Williams after and then stopping a close-range Iñaki Williams effort with a brilliant stop.
Athletic's set-piece prowess came up trumps again. A pinpoint Berenguer delivery found Yeray unmarked in the area and the defender celebrated wildly with the 700 Athleticzales at the Sanchez Pizjuan.
