Athletic commands again in El Sadar

Athletic took the three points from El Sadar after a game with two clearly different sides. The lions dominated and controlled the situation until the break and in the second half, sending off Sancet, they knew how to be strong at the back. Nico Williams acted as assistant to his brother Iñaki and Guruzeta and Unai Simón stopped until unstoppable later.

Arrasate repeated the rojillos’ league debut at El Sadar with the same team from the opening day at Balaídos with Aitor Fernández replacing Sergio Herrera. The Navarrese were the executioners of Athletic last season in both the League and the Cup. The statistics at the level of tenants of the banks are also in favor of the local, because Valverde did not have any success in his rivalries against the Osasunista coach.

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The rojiblanco coach, in a set that yesterday was more white than red and even black given the premiere of his third outfit, introduced three variations from the start after the visit of Madrid. Imanol came in at left-back for Lekue with Nico Williams up front and Muniain on the bench, Sancet regained his place at the expense of Unai Gómez and Guruzeta acted as center forward.

Osasuna pressed from the start with two tackles on the wing from Mojica and a clear option for Aimar Oroz, but Athletic were more forceful in their early approaches to goal. In fact, Iñaki Williams and Guruzeta put the people from Bilbao 0-2 ahead before the 20th minute of the game after two great actions by Nico Williams. A few minutes later, Unai Simón prevented Rubén García from closing the gap.

The visiting dominance began to fade, coincidentally or not, when De Marcos had to leave the field injured after the first half hour of play. Lekue, his replacement, applied himself to the task of blocking on the right wing, but those from Arrasate had a good chance with the boot of Mojica to close the gap on the scoreboard before the break.

Osasuna pressed at the beginning of the second half against an Athletic firm in defense, but possession of the ball began to last very little. David García put Unai Simón through on the test and Galarreta had the same soon after. Bilbao’s silence was shattered at game time when Sancet, in a scuffle with David García, was sent off for a double yellow card. Arrasate immediately brought on Arnaiz and Chimy Ávila and a few minutes later he made his debut for Raúl García. Valverde, for his part, closed the ranks with Ander Herrera and Berenguer and left only Iñaki Williams at the top.

The lions, inspired by Unai Simón, know how to close down the back ranks with various defensive tweaks on the fly. Osasuna, with Raúl García already playing as a striker, continued to press until the end when he was unable to beat the inspired visiting goalkeeper. Dismissal of Chimy Ávila on the brink of the end sparked a fight that never got going.