Osasuna v Athletic Club Live Commentary & Result, 01/03/2023, Copa del Rey

Thanks for joining us for live coverage of Osasuna's 1-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final.

Osasuna's chances of reaching their first Copa del Rey final since the 2004-05 campaign were boosted by their first-leg victory, but they still have much work to do if they are to reach May's final. The two teams will meet again at San Mames on April 4, when Athletic will have to put in a much better performance if they want to keep their hopes of winning this famous competition for a 24th time alive.

It is Osasuna who take victory from this first leg after a moment of brilliance from Abde. It was the only glimmer of real attacking quality all match as both teams put in a drab attacking display. The Morocco international ensured his team will take a lead to Bilbao for the second leg when his powerful run ended with him drilling into the bottom corner. Athletic put a bit of pressure late on as they went in search of an equaliser, but Guruzeta spurned their best chance of the contest when he saw a shot saved by Herrera in the dying seconds.

90' + 5' FULL-TIME: OSASUNA 1-0 ATHLETIC BILBAO

90' + 4' Big save!!! Herrera makes a huge stop in the final seconds to deny Guruzeta's effort from a tight angle. That was the best chance the visitors have had all match.

90' + 3' Williams fires a dangerous delivery across the face of goal, but Hernandez is well-placed to clear before any Athletic forward can get a shot away.

D. Brašanac

Yellow Card

90' + 1' Brasanac is booked for dissent.

90' The fourth official puts up his board and indicates there will be four minutes of additional time at the end of this match.

88' Osasuna are closing in on a valuable victory as they look to take a lead to Bilbao for the second leg.

Pablo Ibáñez

Aimar Oroz

86' Oroz is replaced by Ibanez.

D. Brašanac

Moi Gómez

86' Brasanac comes on for Gomez.

85' Despite being behind since early in the second half, Athletic have been woefully lacking in creativity and have barely troubled Herrera.

Gorka Guruzeta

I. Williams

82' Guruzeta is on in place of Inaki Williams.

81' Time is running out on Valverde's side if they are to take a positive result back to San Mames for the second leg.

79' Nico Williams has made a noticeable difference since coming on and looks a real threat. If Athletic are going to get back into this game, you would expect him to be involved.

Kike Barja

A. Ezzalzouli

77' Goalscorer Abde is replaced by Barja.

75' The visitors have still only managed one shot on target, with Herrera enjoying a relatively comfortable match so far between the Osasuna sticks.

73' Arrasate responded to that spell of Athletic pressure with a double substitution. Will they make a difference as his team look to see out victory in this first leg?

Rubén García

E. Ávila

71' Avila is replaced by Ruben Garcia.

Kike García

A. Budimir

71' Budimir makes way for Kike Garcia.

70' Dani Garcia flicks a decent cross from Inaki Williams towards the back post, but it is just out of reach for Nico Williams at the back stick and the ball skims away for a goal-kick.

69' The visitors have just been able to take up some more dangerous positions in the last couple of minutes as they go in search of an equaliser.

67' Hernandez makes a vital interception to nick the ball away from substitute Nico Williams before the speedster can threaten the hosts' goal.

Nico Williams

Muniain

65' Muniain is replaced by Nico Williams.

Íñigo Martínez

Yellow Card

64' Martinez is booked for bringing down Budimir.

63' Muniain swings a corner in, but it a poor delivery yet again and Herrera comfortably claims.

61' Athletic have accumulated just 0.10 xG (expected goals) so far, while Osasuna have managed 0.26. It has been a game of very few clear-cut chances.

Raúl García

Álex Berenguer

59' Berenguer makes way for Raul Garcia.

Lekue

De Marcos

58' Lekue comes on for De Marcos.

56' The fractious end to the first half has continued into the second, with challenges flying in from both teams.

Moi Gómez

Yellow Card

54' Gomez receives a yellow card for hauling down Sancet as the visitors looked to counter.

54' Avila tries to catch Agirrezabala out with an extremely long-range effort, but he gets it horribly wrong and the Athletic goalkeeper easily collects.

A. Budimir

Yellow Card

52' Budimir goes in the book for catching Vivian with a high boot.

51' Garcia hammers towards goal from distance, though it never looks like troubling Herrera as it flies well over the crossbar.

49' The match was crying out for some attacking quality, and Abde provided it in abundance with that fine run and finish.

Moi Gómez

Assist

47' Gomez found Abde, before the wide-man did the rest to give Arrasate's men the lead.

A. Ezzalzouli

Goal

47' GOAL!!! What a finish! Abde puts Osasuna into the lead with a superb strike. A swift counter ends with the Morocco international driving into the box, before sending a delightful low drive into the bottom right corner. The hosts lead 1-0!

46' The hosts get us back underway for the second half.

There is so much at stake for these two sides, particularly for Osasuna due to their poor record in this competition. Ahead of a daunting second leg at San Mames, you would fancy the hosts to be the team looking to force the issue after the break in this first leg.

The referee blows the whistle to end a pretty poor opening 45 minutes, with both teams yet to hit their full flow. They have managed just one shot on target each as the end of the half turned into a pretty scrappy affair, and their coaches may want to just calm them down ahead of the second period.

45' + 3' HALF-TIME: OSASUNA 0-0 ATHLETIC BILBAO

45' + 2' Vivian is momentarily down receiving treatment after getting a boot to the face, but he will be okay to continue.

45' There will be one minute of additional time at the end of this first half.

Mikel Vesga

Yellow Card

43' Vesga is yellow-carded for cynically dragging back Oroz.

42' Tempers are starting to fray a little as Sancet and Martinez are involved in a brief confrontation.

Álex Berenguer

Yellow Card

40' Bergenguer catches Avila with a loose arm as the two tussle for possession, and the Athletic man receives the first yellow card of the contest.

40' Another set-piece goes begging as Agirrezabala comes and claims a poor free-kick.

38' Berenguer has the ball in a threatening position, but he looks between a shot and a cross and ends up sending the ball flying out for a throw-in.

36' Each team has managed just one shot on target, showing a real lack in attacking quality to this point. Can either team find a spark before the break?

33' Only Barcelona have won the Copa del Rey more times than Athletic's 23.

31' Vivian is perhaps lucky to avoid a booking after catching Oroz with a stray arm near the touchline.

29' After an energetic start, the game has really dropped off in tempo with both teams struggling to get into their rhythm.

27' Prior to this season, Osasuna had failed to go beyond the round of 16 in each of the last 12 seasons.

25' Yuri drills a low delivery across the face of goal, and Berenguer is inches away from getting a toe to it. Replays show it would have been ruled out for offside anyway.

22' Berenguer hoists a free-kick into the Osasuna box, but the delivery is poor and easily headed away.

20' Muniain weaves into the area before sending a thunderous effort at goal, but it is always rising and goes well over the crossbar.

18' Osasuna were the only team out of the four Copa del Rey semi-finalists to win at the weekend.

16' Moncayola fires an ambitious volley towards goal, but it comes off the wrong part of his foot and flies well wide.

14' Ruled out!!! Williams has the ball in the net after flicking a rebound off the post and in, but the offside flag rightly goes up to disallow the goal.

11' The hosts have slightly shaded the opening period, with the visitors yet to record a shot at Herrera's goal.

9' It has been a lively start here, which is perhaps surprising with so much at stake. There has been no sign of any nerves.

6' Abde lets fly at goal from range, but it takes a deflection and goes just wide.

5' Budimir looks to latch onto a throughball, but it just has too much power on it and runs through to the goalkeeper.

3' Both teams have had early corners as they look to get their noses in front.

1' The visitors kick us off and we are underway!

The two teams make their way onto the pitch ahead of kick-off.

Visiting boss Ernesto Valverde also goes with five alterations, with Agirrezabala replacing Unai Simon between the sticks, while Vivian and Martinez come into the back four. Yuri and Garcia also start.

Home head coach Jagoba Arrasate makes five changes from the 3-2 victory over Sevilla at the weekend, as Herrera replaces Fernandez in goal while Avila and Budimir start for Barja and Garcia. Torro and Gomez also come in for Ibanez and Moreno.

SUBS: Raul Garcia, Unai Vencedor, Mikel Balenziaga, Aitor Paredes, Nico Williams, Ibon Ispizua, Ander Capa, Inigo Lekue, Yeray Alvarez, Gorka Guruzeta, Oier Zarraga.

ATHLETIC BILBAO (4-2-3-1): Julen Agirrezabala; Oscar De Marcos, Dani Vivian, Inigo Martinez, Yuri; Dani Garcia, Mikel Vesga; Alex Berenguer, Oihan Sancet, Iker Muniain; Inaki Williams.

SUBS: Ruben Garcia, Diego Moreno, Nacho Vidal, Pablo Valencia, Pablo Ibanez, Aitor Fernandez, Kike Garcia, Darko Brasanac, Manuel Sanchez, Unai Garcia, Kike Barja.

OSASUNA (4-3-3): Sergio Herrera; Jon Moncayola, Aridane Hernandez, David Garcia, Alvaro Juan Cruz Armada; Aimar Oroz, Lucas Torro, Moi Gomez; Ez Abde, Ante Budimir, Chimy Avila.

The visitors have a much more decorated history in the competition, winning it 23 times, though their last success came all the way back in the 1983-84 campaign. They are ninth in LaLiga, just a point and a place behind their opponents here.

The hosts head into this tie bidding to reach their second Copa del Rey final, having finished runners-up in the 2004-05 season. They are enjoying an excellent season so far, sat in eighth in LaLiga to leave them well in range of finishing in the European spots.

Hello and welcome to live coverage of the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final between Osasuna and Athletic Bilbao.

Osasuna v Athletic Club Live Commentary, 01/03/2023

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