In Round 15 of La Liga, Athletic Bilbao secured a 1-0 victory against Atletico Madrid at their home ground. The game was decided by Alex Berenguer’s precise strike in the 84th minute.
The match at San Mames Stadium began at a high pace. Atletico initiated the attack first and earned a corner kick from the right flank.
However, the hosts quickly regained control and started dictating the game away from their goal. Nico Williams frequently launched dangerous attacks from the left flank, delivering crosses towards Oblak's goal.
After one corner, Guruzeta attempted a header but failed to find the target. Madrid's counterattacks, led by Alvarez, included a dangerous shot from outside the penalty area.
During the first half, Aymeric Laporte suffered an injury and could not continue, being replaced by Vivian. Both teams generated opportunities before halftime, but the goalkeepers delivered flawless performances.
Simon saved a strike from Almada, keeping Athletic in contention, while Oblak confidently dealt with crosses and long-range shots from the hosts. Despite two minutes of added time in the first half, the scoreline remained unchanged.
In the second half, Diego Simeone substituted Gallagher for Koke in an attempt to accelerate the game. Atletico sought to activate the flanks but the hosts continued to defend in an organized manner.
Athletic looked for opportunities through quick counterattacks led by Sancet and Nico Williams. From a corner, Paredes headed towards the goal but the ball sailed over the crossbar.
Simeone introduced Griezmann and later Raspadori to strengthen the attack. Nonetheless, Atletico struggled to create clear scoring chances.
In the final minutes of the game, Athletic intensified their pressure. The crowd at the stadium urged their team forward, refusing to settle for a draw.
In the 85th minute, the hosts succeeded in seizing the advantage. Simon quickly restarted the game, initiating a fast attack for the home side.
Nico Williams moved from the left flank to the center and delivered a precise pass to Berenguer. Receiving the ball at the edge of the penalty area, Berenguer bypassed his opponent and sent a precise strike into the top-right corner of the net.
Oblak could not respond to this shot, and the jubilant cheers of the fans at San Mames echoed around the stadium. Despite Atletico’s increased pressure in the remaining time, Athletic’s defense held firm without any errors.
Thus, Athletic Bilbao secured an important and narrow victory. The match ended in a 1-0 triumph for the Basques.
As a result, Athletic’s points tally rose to 23, placing them in 7th position, while Atletico remained in 4th spot with 31 points.
La Liga, Round 15
Athletic – Atletico 1:0
Goal: Berenguer 85
Athletic – Simon, Areso (Gorosabel, 82), Paredes, Laporte (Vivian, 33), Berchiche, Galarreta (Rego, 66), Jauregi, Berenguer, Sancet (Izeta, 82), Williams, Guruzeta (Gomez, 66).
Atletico – Oblak, Molina, Pubil, Lenglet (Ruggieri, 62), Hanko, Simeone, Gallagher (Koke, 46), Barrios, Gonzalez (Raspadori, 72), Almada (Sorloth, 62), Alvarez (Griezmann, 66).
Bookings: Jauregi 14, Galarreta 20, Laporte 28 – Gallagher 12, Koke 90+4.
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