Athletic’s set and match against a willing Eldense

Athletic met Pepico Amat predictions. The lions left Eldense out of the Cup with an emphatic win in a clash that, at least initially, was more than the final score indicated. The rojiblancos, despite the big difference on the scoreboard, had to sweat in the first half to beat this rival from the First RFEF.

Five minutes of inspiration was enough for Valverde’s men to avoid misery. Nico Williams and Berenguer, with a serious blaugrana and a very clear idea, signed the first two goals of the night within five minutes. Both are about to rest.

Bilbao’s seriousness was again consistent around the changing rooms. Far from lowering the piston, the visitors continued to press until they settled the tie with two new goals, the work of Zarraga and Berenguer in this case. Those from Elda sought the goal of honor from there and found it at a Soberón auction. This striker is, surprisingly, the same one who scored the victory for Eldense against Bilbao Athletic in the league held this season in Lezama. A local own goal and Muniain’s last sealed the set, match and tie for the Bilbao men.

Estévez, the local coach, opted for almost the same starting eleven that Burgos had just scrapped in the previous round. Only four of these players, surprisingly, were from Eldense’s away league match at Lezama against Bilbao Athletic. The Azulgrana team stood out from the start with a clear 1-4-4-2.

Valverde, true to his custom, showed a team full of regulars. Arrizabalaga, as happens in the KO tournament, practiced under the sticks at the expense of World Cup player Unai Simón. The rest of the new things compared to the last clash in 2022 are Lekue on the right side, Zarraga in a double pivot with Muniain up front, Berenguer open on the left wing and Raúl García up front. Six changes, in other words, compared to Villamarín’s lineup.

Athletic did not look comfortable in the early stages of the match. Eldense know how to withdraw with order and firmness in defense and deploy with sense and speed once they get the ball. Nieto, in this way, put the rojiblanco goalkeeper to the test.

The lions, however, lived for minutes, although not doing much danger. A header from Muniain and a lateral free kick from Berenguer narrowly missed Vivian’s main options. Immediately afterwards, Juanjo Ortuño had the best chance of all, but his shot before the visiting goalkeeper went wide.

The Bilbao replica is deadly. Nico Williams, after a good cross from Raúl García was finished first time by Berenguer, opened the scoring in the 35th minute by taking advantage of the rebound from goalkeeper Stamatakis, and Berenguer himself made 0 -2 five minutes after a shot with his left foot from outside the area after Yuri’s poor free-kick against the wall. Valverde’s men left the tie well before the break.

The lions started the second half ready to leave everything sentenced, if not already. Nico Williams and Raúl García were the first to try in front of goal and Zarraga, after good play from Muniain, made it 0-3 shortly after the triple substitution introduced by Estévez. The rojiblancos, far from lifting their foot from the accelerator, continued what they were doing and scored again through Berenguer.

Eldense, despite losing everything, did not give up in search of Agirrezabala’s goal until the honorary goal was signed by Soberón. Paredes and Guruzeta opened the carousel of changes in Athletic with a clear advantage on the scoreboard. An own goal from Correia served to lift the win from Bilbao and, coincidentally, Valverde gave minutes to Balenziaga, Dani García and Villalibre. Muniain, one of the standouts, closed the scoring one breath from the end.