Celta 2 - Athletic Bilbao 3

Celta: Pinto; Velasco, Cáceres, Yago, Juanfran; Giovanella, Doriva; Karpin (Jesuli 66'), Mostovoi, Gustavo López (Silvinho 77'); Catanha. 4-2-3-1. Bilbao: Lafuente; Javi González, Lacruz, Larrainzar, Del Horno; Oscar Vales, Orbaiz, Alkiza; Tiko (Urrutia 57'); Ezquerro (Joseba Etxeberria 57'), Urzaiz (David Karanka 65'). 4-3-1-2.

Team changes: Celta: Pinto, Yago, Doriva, Karpin, Gustavo López for Cavallero, Berizzo, Luccin, Edú, Jesuli / Bilbao: Javi González, Lacruz, Del Horno, Orbaiz for Felipe, Larrazábal, Urrutia, Yeste.

Goals:
1-0. 33. Cáceres. Headed in corner from right by Mostovoi.
2-0. 79. Jesuli. Ran on to long Mostovoi pass and touched round keeper.
2-1. 83. Karanka. Angled header down into net from free kick.
2-2. 86. Etxeberria. Scrambled ball over line from a corner.
2-3. 89. Orbaiz. Free kick from left which bounced through into net.

The comeback of the season took place at the Balaidos stadium, with a depleted Athletic Bilbao scoring three times in the last seven minutes to snatch a victory from the jaws of defeat. Bilbao were forced to line up with a makeshift defence, with winger Javi González playing at right back and Del Horno coming in at the last minute after Larrazábal injured himself in the pre-match warm up. Celta opened the scoring through Cáceres in a bad tempered first half in which Mostovoi caused a small riot by ungentlemanly failing to return the ball put out to attend an injured player, the home side's assistant coach Carnero was red carded for assaulting the fourth referee and fans fought between themselves in some of the worst crowd violence of the season.

Celta appeared to be cruising when they went two goals ahead with ten minutes left, Jesuli scoring on a rapid counterattack. However substitute Karanka pulled one back heading home a free kick near the end, and Celta were reduced to ten men when Velasco picked up a second yellow card. With three minutes left keeper Pinto (standing in for Argentina's Cavallero) failed to get to a corner from the left, and Etxeberria turned the ball into the net from a few inches out to make it all square. And then Bilbao won a free kick on the left of the area, and Orbaiz sent in a long ball which went through everybody and in to the net. As the players left the field stunned, Mostovoi blotted his copybook insulting the referee, and he stands to pick up a lengthy ban. All in all a disaster for Celta who drop to sixth, a place behind Bilbao who are in the European spots for the first time this season. Heynckes could hardly believe his luck.