Copa del Rey
Semi finals, second leg
Athletic Bilbao 3 - Sevilla 0
Sevilla: Palop; Mosquera, Squillaci, David Prieto,
Fernando Navarro; Romaric (Duscher 78'), Fazio (Luis Fabiano 36'); Jesús
Navas, Renato, Adriano (Diego Capel 46'); Kanouté. 4-2-3-1.
Athletic: Gorka Iraizoz; Iraola, Aitor Ocio, Amorebieta,
Koikili; David López (Gabilondo 88'), Orbaiz, Javi Martínez,
Yeste; Toquero (Ion Vélez 69'), Llorente. 4-4-2.
Goals:
1-0. 04. Javi Martínez. Beat Palop at second
attempt after Llorente headed on.
2-0. 34. Llorente. Far post header wide
of keeper from Yeste's lofted cross.
3-0. 37. Toquero. Picked up Llorente's
square pass and shot low past Palop.
Athletic Bilbao made it in to the final of the Spanish cup for the first time in 24 years after a 3-0 win over Sevilla. The Basque side have the second best record in the competition with 23 wins, one less than this time's rivals Barcelona, although a generation has gone by without seeing their team in a final. However with only four minutes on the clock Javi Martínez beat Palop at the second attempt after Llorente headed on a long throw to cancel out the Andalusians' first leg advantage.
With a capacity crowd behind them Athletic kept up the pressure, Toquero having a penalty appeal turned down and Palop having to save from Orbaiz. And before half time Llorente headed in Yeste's cross to make it two, and then won the ball off David Prieto to set up Toquero for the third.
After the break the visitors came out on the attack, Squillaci having another penalty turned down and Kanouté heading the best chance wide. But Caparrós's side were never going to give this one up, and Sevilla president José María del Nido, who the day before had said that his team were going to "devour "The Lions" from head to tail", ended up eating his words.
Mallorca 1 - Barcelona 1
Mallorca: Lux; Josemi, David Navarro, Ramis,
Corrales (Aduríz 77'); Castro (Scaloni 74'), Martí, Mario
Suárez (Cléber Santana 62'), Arango; Keita, Webó. 4-4-2.
Barcelona: Pinto; Daniel Alves, Puyol, Piqué,
Martín Cáceres; Touré Yaya, Sergio Busquets, Keita; Hleb
(Xavi 88'), Bojan (Messi 58'), Iniesta (Márquez 54'). 4-3-3.
Goals:
1-0. 45. Castro. Connected with Webó cross to fire
shot in to top corner of net.
2-0. 81. Messi. Ran on to chip keeper after
defender failed to clear through ball.
Barcelona will meet Athletic Bilbao in this year's cup final after a 1-1 draw at Mallorca. Guardiola's side were defending a two goal lead from the first leg, and they had the better of the early moments, Iniesta running through to shoot straight at Lux and Alves being closed down after a good run. Arango volleyed a shot across goal at the other end though, and on the stroke of half time Castro beat Pinto after Webó laid back a cross to halve the gap.
Soon after the restart Webó had a goal disallowed for a borderline offside, and a couple of minutes later Martí could have levelled the tie from the penalty spot after Martín Cáceres was sent off for fouling Castro. Pinto saved his spot kick however, and a few minutes later Josemi was also red-carded for a second bookable offence whilst lying injured on a stretcher!
Guardiola had put out a virtual B team for this match, but he eventually turned to Messi, who soon brought a good save out of Lux. Alves had tested the keeper as well with a well struck free kick a few minutes earlier, but with ten minutes to go he could do nothing as Messi ran past David Navarro on to Piqué's long punt to lob the ball in to the net. Mallorca needed three more, an impossible task, and Barça were through to their 34th cup final.
