Barcelona: Athletic Bilbao beat Osasuna 2-0 Friday to stay perfect through two rounds of the Spanish league, while Angel Lafita scored one goal and earned a late penalty to help Getafe salvage a 2-2 draw at home against Almeria.
Bilbao's victory came at Anoeta Stadium, the home of regional Basque rival Real Sociedad, with Bilbao's new San Mames Stadium still under construction. Supported by thousands of fans who had made the trip, Bilbao almost got off to a perfect start when Aritz Aduriz hit the post in the opening minute.
Osasuna went closest in the 13th when Emiliano Armenteros nearly curled a corner kick directly into the net, only for goalkeeper Iago Herrerin to react in time.
Bilbao went ahead in the 31st when Osasuna's Alejandro Arribas knocked Markel Susaeta's cross into his own net shortly after the defender had saved a goal-bound shot by Aduriz.
Bilbao took control of the ball in the second half, and substitute Oscar de Marcos sealed the win in the 82nd on the break with Osasuna pressing all its men forward in search of the equalizer its toothless attack couldn't produce.
"This was an important win," De Marcos said. "Next week we go to (Real Madrid's Santiago) Bernabeu and it's good to get this win at home. Even though this isn't our home, it felt like it. Everyone would like to be in Bilbao, but the team is very grateful to our fans. Our fans never disappoint us."
At Getafe, the promoted Almeria squandered a lead and a strong performance for the second consecutive match and will have to wait until round three for another chance at its first victory.
Almeria striker Rodrigo Rios scored his third goal this season on the half-hour mark when he fired Jesus "Suso" Fernandez's pass off the post and into the net.
Lafita leveled for Getafe with a well-placed header inside the far post two minutes later, but Fernando Soriano scored from a rebound in the 37th to restore the visitors' advantage.
Goalkeeper Miguel Moya kept Getafe in the game before Diego Castro converted a spot kick in the 85th after Rafael Ramos fouled Lafita in the area.
Almeria coach Francisco Rodriguez said that his team's inexperience was costing it wins in its return to the topflight.
"The team is generating a ridiculous amount of scoring chances for the first division," Rodriguez said. "We have strikers who are scoring, Rodri (Rios) has scored three goals and has to keep it up. At the end our inexperience is causing us to not take our opportunities. We will try again next weekend."
On Saturday, Sociedad visits Elche, Valencia is at Espanyol, and Villarreal hosts Valladolid.
Barcelona visits Malaga Sunday with Lionel Messi a doubt after picking up a muscle injury midweek in a 1-1 draw at Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup. Also, Atletico faces Rayo Vallecano, Sevilla travels to Levante, and Real Betis plays Celta.
Real Madrid visits Granada on Monday.
Comments
0 comment