Granada beats Athletic Club and advances towards permanence

A goal by Álex Collado in the 35th minute, after losing a ball in his own area, Dani García, put the locals ahead in an even first half, while in the second half there was no reaction from a Athletic that ended with ten players due to the expulsion for a double yellow card in the 85th minute of Mikel Vesga, although he was able to equalize in added time with a shot to the post by Raúl García.

Granada started the game strong and came close to scoring in the opening minutes, first with a header that went wide by Jorge Molina and, shortly after, through Luis Milla, who did not finish off a great personal play by Antonio Puertas.

Athletic improved as the minutes went by, seeking to take advantage of the gaps left behind by a brave Granada in the pressurecame to balance the duel and Unai Vencedor made Portuguese goalkeeper Luis Maximiano work with a shot from outside the area.

Also from a distance, but without aim, the locals Álex Collado and Jorge Molina tried, and the visitor Iker Muniain, although what decided the first half was a serious error by Dani García in the 35th minute in his own area when his team tried to leave playing from behind.

stole the ball Álex Collado, who scored almost to an empty goal after leaning on the Albanian Myrto Uzuni to make it 1-0.

The goal caused Granada to finish the first half better than Athletic, with Uzuni about to make it 2-0 before the break with a shot that went wide by millimeters.

The script did not change at the beginning of the second half, since Athletic was unable both to take a step forward and to control the match against a serious and always well-placed Granada, which led coach Marcelino García to make a triple substitution before game time.

If in the first half there were few chances, in the second the goalkeepers were mere spectators and the teams barely stepped on the dangerous areas.

Despite the visitors’ attempts to go ahead, it was Jorge Molina who was able to settle the game in the 83rd minute with a counterattack in which he was too slow.

Attempts to come back against Athletic were even more complicated when he was sent off in the 85th minute Mikel Vesga after seeing two yellow cards in just a quarter of an hour.

The game went crazy in added time, with the goal Unai Simón who almost scored when joining the attack in a corner kicka disallowed goal in the local against the Colombian Luis Suárez and a shot at the post by Raúl García, an action in which Athletic had the tie, in the last play of the match.