Athletic Bilbao 0 - Osasuna 1

Bilbao: Lafuente; Lacruz, Roberto Rios, Oscar Vales, Lasa; Orbaiz (Yeste 85'), Alkiza; Joseba Etxeberria (Julen Guerrero 85'), Tiko, Javi González (Merino 65'); Ezquerro. 4-2-3-1.
Osasuna: Nuno; Yanguas, Cruchaga, Jusué, Iban Pérez, Llorens (Alfonso 90'); Alex Fernández, Alfredo (Trzeciak 72'), Gancedo; Iván Rosado, Ziganda (Armentano 55'). 5-3-2.

Team changes: Bilbao: Lacruz, Lasa, Javi González, Ezquerro for Larrainzar, Larrazábal, Felipe, Urzaiz / Osasuna: Yanguas, Jusué, Ziganda for Alfonso, Aitor Ocio, Armentano.

Goals:
0-1. 92. Iván Rosado. Header on far post after cross by Trzeciak from left.

Osasuna stole three points away from their Basque neighbours in the last minute of the game to move back out of the relegation zone. The Pamplona based side deserved the victory after proving to be the better side, but after Lafuente saved a penalty from Alex in the second half after Rios brought down Iván Rosado, it looked like they would be frustrated. Then substitute Trzeciak got the ball on the left wing and floated it across to find the head of Rosado, who picked his spot coolly for his fifth goal in as many games. The thousand or so Osasuna fans in the crowd went wild.

It was always going to be a hard fought game with few goals, as most Basque derbies are. Txetxu Rojo was missing his lone striker Urzaiz, out for a few weeks with an injury, and Ezquerro came back in to take his place up front alongside Etxeberria. There was no place in the starting line up though for Julen Guerrero, left on the bench for the first time this season, with youngster Tiko keeping his place against his old team. In fact there were several players who had been at both clubs, and Lotina brought back Ziganda at centre forward who was returning to the San Mames stadium for the first time in three years.

Without Urzaiz up front Bilbao went for the short passing game rather than the high balls into the area, but they were ineffective against an orderly Osasuna defence. Their first and only shot on target only came fifteen minutes from the end, a long desperate effort from Lacruz which Nuno stopped with ease. Osasuna did a bit better, with Rosado a constant danger and Alex testing Lafuente with a shot from outside of the area. Rojo brought on Guerrero and Yeste near the end and lived to regret it, saying in the post match press conference that that was his big mistake. Bilbao fall behind their close rivals and their objective of reaching Europe next season looks a distant hope. With Rojo's position looking ever more precarious, Javier Clemente is knocking at the door. Will they let him in?