If the score had been defined by inaccuracies, easily missed passes, or poor ball decisions, the result of San Mames would have been worthy of a handball match. Or even basketball. But it was football at least it pretended to be and the two goals that were scored were even exaggerated for what was seen on the pitch. A from Serie b due to the compulsory absences and the no less compulsory rotations after the extra time Cups on Thursday and a Valencia that, as throughout the course does what it can and sometimes what it shouldn’t. Because the two goals one in each goal were scored by Javi Gracia’s players.
For Marcelino, it was a very committed meeting because he did not have Raúl García, Muniain, and Villalibre. And Williams, physically touched, played the 90 minutes because there was no other forward available. With Yeray, Yuri, and De Marcos occupying a place on the bench it was a team more similar to the one that was shipwrecked in the first parts of the Cup against Ibiza and Alcoyano. The Asturian coach has revitalized Athletic but has not yet managed to integrate men from the second unit such as Morcillo, Berenguer and Sancet into the positive dynamics. Footballers also have something to blame, of course, who at times played as if they had just met.
With this panorama, things did not look good for Athletic from the beginning. His luck was that in front was a Valencia that even with all its headlines is not for parties either. Gracia’s men amassed a little more danger in a gloomy first half but they didn’t even manage to put together a shot on goal. And so of course it is very difficult. Nor did Athletic shoot on goal and nevertheless, came to the break with an advantage on the scoreboard. Morcillo rode down the left taking advantage of the fact that, for a change, Thierry was not where he should have been and his center towards the area reached Guillamón, who introduced him into his goal when he tried to clear the danger.
Athletic tried to take advantage of the positive trend at the beginning of the second half, in what was its best minutes. Scarce, yes. Williams sought to participate more in the attacking game and the entire team thanked him. Lancet had the second in his boots after a cross from the Bilbao striker but decided to finish off in the small area without raising his head to see where the goalkeeper was. The result was a lousy shot that a totally sold-out Jaume for his defense managed to repel. The trend of Sancet is worrying, which debuted a year ago leaving good feelings that he has been losing little by little until he seems a totally inconsequential footballer.
Valencia managed to overcome the shock and gained dominance thanks to Wass a footballer who is capable of being everywhere. It is not little for this team. Finally, the Che team achieved the equalizer in a corner kick in which Gabriel anticipated Dani García to head on target. Simon stared at the ball coming in casting doubt on whether he could have done more to avoid the goal. He could have at least tried.
The final half-hour returned to the unbearable dynamics of the first half with both teams giving free rein to their many limitations. The few auctions that there were stamped without remedy against the canvases that hide the lack of public in the San Mames funds. If anyone came close to the goal it was Valencia but Cutrone in his first minutes with his new team was unable to read a frank counterattack. When he wanted to pass it to Maxi Gomez who had been running alone for 30 meters in the center lane it was too late. The best of the game in short was that it was over.
