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Athletic – Valencia | Athletic goes back to a Valencia that falls to relegation

El Athletic, with goals from Nico Williams and Oihan Sancet, he managed to come back from Samu Castillejo’s initial goal after a game in which Valencia ran into Unai Simón, who was decisive with a brilliant performance to achieve victory for the visitors who entered the European zone while the locals fell to the relegation zone.

Athletic wanted to be the protagonist against a Valencia thate was in relegation places in a Mestalla that looked half empty and that they had close to 7,000 fans protesting against the property outside the stadium, but, after reading the dangerous intentions of the Basque team on the right wing of Nico Williams, the locals knew how to close spaces, get away from the intense pressure and go on the counterattack at each possession.

After eight minutes, Cavani rose and prevailed over the Bilbao defense to head in a measured cross from Gayà, but his shot went wide. The Uruguayan forward could not create more chances, since he was injured in the 16th minute and was replaced by Hugo Duro.

Valencia seemed to have abandoned that depression that has accompanied them in recent games and, with a determined and fluent counterattack, they managed to take the lead with a goal from Castillejo (m.17) after a good combinative play between Ilaix, Lino and the scorer.

As the fans left outside the stadium took their seats from the 19th minute on with chants against Peter Lim, which the rest of the stadium followed, Musah prevented Vivian’s shot by clearing Lekue’s cross.

The black and white players tried to increase the distance with a Chilean from Hugo Duro that went slightly wide, but Nico Williams started and surprised the local defense with a great individual move to tie and, before the break, Unai Simón put out a great hand to clear a shot from Lino and keep the tables in the light.

The second part started even with an Athletic that managed to create more danger than in the first actbut the most compelling chances were for the Valencians, who saw how Unai Simón again rejected a powerful shot from Castillejo with another great intervention.

However, as happened in the first half, very little was enough for Athletic to hurt their rival. Valencia was sentenced once again to take the ball played and Muniaín was attentive to catch a ball from Cömert and give it to Iñaki Williams, who assisted Sancet to put Ernesto Valverde’s team ahead (m.72), who calmly awaited his opportunity .

Despite the comeback, Valencia did not collapse and kept trying with shots from Hugo Duro, Ilaix and Diakhaby, but the international goalkeeper had a brilliant game and was decisive in sealing Athletic’s victory, which won again at Mestalla fifteen days after the cup tie. After the final whistle, the Valencian fans exploded with a tremendous scarf against the box.

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