Athletic had a comfortable game to get the three points at the Power Horse Stadium against an imprecise AlmerÃa that was prey to mistakes to get into the game in the final stretch of the game, with a goal from Ãlex Centelles in discount that he made dream, but the 1-2 puts the Basques in the fight for the European places and the Andalusians very close to relegation.
Until reaching those final minutes, Athletic managed the game, especially at the beginning of the two halves. In the first to get ahead through Nico Williams, after a good action by Oihan Sancet and, in the second, with De Marcos, also a pass from the midfielder, key in AthLetic’s game. Then he suffered, on his own initiative, but against an AlmerÃa ‘handcuffed’ by nerves.
The first part was managed by Athletic thanks to the speed of Nico Williams and the interpretation that Oihan Sancet made of the race to filter, in minute 9, a ball that between the younger of the brothers and Fernando MartÃnez lodged in the local goal .
The disorder of AlmerÃa, with excessive losses, was giving the ball to Athletic, who managed possession. It is true that the Colombian Luis Suárez tested Unai Simón with a shot in the 10th minute that the Athletic goalkeeper saved, giving way once again to control of the game for Ernesto Valverde’s team.
In the second half, Athletic came out with speed as a weapon, more involved in the game, against an AlmerÃa subjected to errors again. With Berenguer in place of Iñaki Williams, the freshness of the red-and-white placed Athletic close to second. In minute 47, with an action by Berenguer himself that ended in a corner and, taken out, ended with Iñigo MartÃnez’s header hitting the wood. Without AlmerÃa having the opportunity to create danger, in a throw-in, as so many other times, Sancet assisted De Marcos, who was the executor of the kick, and who converted it into the second goal.
The last half hour was of a want and I can’t of the people from AlmerÃa, trying to push Athletic to their plot, but taking advantage of the losses to try to increase the differences. Zarraga, who replaced Ander Herrera, had a couple of actions in which his final shot was not good. AlmerÃa tried, but found an opponent very close both vertically and horizontally, so as not to allow gaps to arise.
Even so, AlmerÃa did not stop trying. He put a lot of heart into it, pushing Athletic to defend itself. When there was almost no life, a ball from Ãlex Centelles, from outside the area, surprised Unai Simón, who was unable to stop the Valencian’s shot.
In minute 95, a long headed corner kick by Robertone for Samú Costa was saved by the red-and-white defense when it seemed that the goal would prove the saying that AlmerÃa never gives up was right, but the goal did not come and the game ended at 1 -2.
1 – Almeria: Fernando; Chumi, Ely, Babic (Well, m.72), Centelles; Samú Costa, Robertone, Puigmal (Embarba, m.55), Melero (Portillo, m. 63), Baptistao (Lazaro, m.63); and Luis Suárez (Dyego Sousa, m.72).
2 РAthletic: Unai Simon; De Marcos, Yeray, Inigo Martinez, Yuri Berchiche; Vesga, Ander Herrera (Zarraga, m.61); I̱aki Williams (Berenguer, m.46), Sancet (Victor, m.80), Nico Williams (Raul Garcia, m.80); and Guruzeta (Vivian, m.87).
Goals: 0-1, M.9: Nico Williams. 0-2, M.56: Óscar de Marcos. 1-2, M90: Sparks.
Referee: Pizarro Gómez (Madrid Committee). He admonished Rodrigo Ely (m.67) and Alejandro Pozo (m.92), from UD AlmerÃa, and Oihan Sancet (m.20), Zarraga (m.64), Ãlex Berenger (m.87) and Mikel Vesga ( m.92), of the Athletic Club.
