A productive midday for Athletic

Direct Chronicle

Berenguer scores Athletic's first goal against Elche, this Sunday at San Mamés. Javier Zorrilla (EFE)

In San Mamés there were children.

There always are, of course, but this season almost in a testimonial way.

Of the previous 14 games at the Cathedral, only one was played within the limits that allow parents not to touch the possibility of confronting social services.

Because walking around Bilbao at dawn with children and going to school the next day is almost a crime.

So this time there were children, in industrial numbers, you could say.

With mothers, fathers, grandfathers, grandmothers and other family.

With his Athletic shirt under his puffer jacket, it was cold and my child didn't catch a cold.

There were even Elche shirts, which is more exotic.

ATHAthletic

two

Unai Simón, Daniel Vivian, Yuri, De Marcos (Oier Zarraga, min. 87), Unai Núñez, Vesga (Alex Petxarromán, min. 64), Berenguer (Nico Williams, min. 74), Unai Vencedor, Muniain, Williams (Villalibre , min. 74) and O. Sancet (Raúl García, min. 64)

ELC Elche

1

Edgar, Olaza, Helibelton Palacios, Bigas, Diego González, Tete Morente (Josan, min. 57), Marcone (Raúl Guti, min. 57), Gumbau, Fidel (Piatti, min. 73), Lucas Boyé (Ezequiel Ponce, min. 17) and Pere Milla (Guido Carrillo, min. 58)

Goals

1-0 min.

31: Berenguer.

2-0 min.

85: Villalibre.

2-1 min.

91: Josh.

Referee

Jorge Figueroa Vazquez

Yellow cards Bigas (min. 46), Vesga (min. 49), Marcone (min. 55), Guido Carrillo (min. 60), Josan (min. 66) and Unai Núñez (min. 94)

It's that football is child's play, as Athletic wanted to show against Elche, who soon lost Boyé due to injury.

Although for it to look like it, and for it to be something simple at first glance, it takes many hours of practice.

Marcelino's team wanted to make it easy, dedicating the first part to running and shooting, basic issues in football;

to show his claws to his rival taking over the bands, with the inspiration of Sancet and Berenguer, distributing game, tireless as Amazon vans, undetectable for the defenses.

They slipped a few balls towards Iñaki Williams, who did not have the day in front of the goal, but they kept Badía on edge, always attentive to the red and white attacks, which were many in the first half.

The goal did not stop Sancet, he doubted during the week due to some pubic discomfort, who continued to enjoy himself like a child playing with a square and bevel, and who returned another spectacular ball to Williams, who finished off the virulé with his head, very wide .

The Navarrese continued with his recital until Marcelino opted for prudence and removed him from the field.

By then, Elche had tried to take a step forward as if suggesting that they were looking for a draw, although without too much danger, while Athletic was looking for some lethal counterattack that would close the match.

He half achieved his objective, when in the 85th minute Villalibre proposed a wall to Raúl García, who accepted it.

The bearded center forward broke away from the defender, who was grabbing his shirt, and looked for Badía's post to score Athletic's second goal from a small angle.

There was very little left, but the Bilbao team did not close the result and lived in uncertainty for the last few minutes, because Josan took advantage of a miscalculation by Yuri in the discount to close the gap and spice up the outcome, although nothing happened afterwards, and Athletic , against more children than in any other game, added the three points and is a little closer to the noble zone.

Elche, for the moment, and despite the defeat, remains calm.

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