LaLiga Santander | Athletic – Cadiz

And both by Argentine Gonzalo Escalante, who made it 1-1, and another by Yeray Álvarez who made it 3-1 on the brink of halftimethey completed a final score that rewarded the excellent night of the ‘Lince de Mendillorri’ and it was too much punishment for a Cádiz that did not deserve so much punishment.

With this victory, Athletic sleeps seventh still without returning to the European positions it occupied not long ago and the visiting team remains in relegation places. Although after having left a good impression while the game was alive.

Until the 4-1 that scored against a Sancet who gave a master class on how to shoot at goal. Escorado, point blank and finishing a counterattack in a one-on-one with the goalkeeper.

Of start, Ernesto Valverde resumed the formula for success at the beginning of the season, the so-called ‘rock and roll’ with Sancet and Muniain in midfield. A way of playing tackling that had brought him indisputable victories, such as the 0-4 win at the Nuevo Mirandilla. In addition, something unusual in the league and with Iñaki Williams injured, he placed Raúl García as striker.

Sergio González was not intimidated by that local eleven full of names, since he placed his team in an ambitious 1-4-1-4-1 and with the clear intention of responding to each of the local attacks.

This led to a more than entertaining start with two occasions per side in the first ten minutes. The first by Nico Williams, well saved by Ledesma; the next two yellows, two shots to the left side of Simón’s goal, the second even touching the post.

In the second rojiblanca it was 1-0, a blast from Sancet to the left corner of the Ledesma goal after picking up a rebound from the defense to a cross from De Marcoswho had combined with Muniain on the right.

Neither was Cádiz daunted in this way, which took control of the game and eagerly sought the tie. He found it in a great combination from the defense that ended in a center from the left of Ocampo, after getting rid of it that Escalante finished off almost on the goal line, once he passed the local goal.

With a new game, Athletic reacted, put themselves in the hands of Muniain and did not stop generating danger. Although the 2-1 came in a concatenation of errors by Bongonda and Mbaye, who did not clear as they should have and gave Berenguer and Raúl García the opportunity to come into play. The latter to leave with a subtle touch the goal scored against Sancer, who shot Ledesma in the small area.

Athletic had several occasions to widen the differences before it came to 3-1, but Nico and Raúl were not fine in the same play and ‘Conan’ authoritative in three interventions, two against Sancet and one from a distant shot by Muniain.

The captain took his revenge putting a direct free kick on Yeray’s head for Barakaldo’s brave central defender to make it 3-1 practically at the break.

The Cádiz team continued to maintain the tone and type, which sought to make it 3-2 at the start of the second half with a strong shot by Luis Hernández, which forced Unai Simón into a great save, and later on a header from Escalante and a direct free kick from Bongonda. In that foul he saw the second yellow card for Yuri, who was sent off in the 58th minute.

With Athletic at a disadvantage, curiously, it was Valverde’s men who, first, threatened to end the match against which Muniain failed to finish successfully; and, later, they did it with other similar counterattacks in which Sancet, in a state of grace, did not forgive.

A shot at the post by Sobrino in the 90th minute, which could have been the 42nd, closed the match.