Osasuna 0 - Athletic Bilbao 1

Osasuna: Unzué; Cruchaga, Contreras, Josetxo; Izquierdo, Gancedo, Lekumberri (Muñoz 83'), Palacios, Fernando (Rivero 76'); Armentano, Aloisi (Iván Rosado 76'). 3-5-2.
Bilbao: Lafuente; Javi González, Oscar Vales, Lacruz, Larrazábal; Orbaiz, Alkiza; Tiko (Ezquerro 66'), Joseba Etxeberria, Yeste (Carlos García 60'); Urzaiz. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Osasuna: Lekumberri, Fernando for Puñal, Yanguas / Bilbao: Lacruz, Larrazábal, Orbaiz, Joseba Etxeberria for Aitor Ocio, Larrainzar, Urrutia, Ezquerro.

Goals:
0-1. 72. Etxeberria. Ran on to pass from Ezquerro on right of area to beat keeper.

Bilbao kept up their ten game unbeaten record with a narrow away victory on a half-frozen pitch in Pamplona. It is over ten years since Osasuna beat their Basque rivals in the Sadar stadium, but it looked as if they were finally going to do so as they piled on the pressure in the opening minutes. Only excellent goalkeeping by Lafuente kept out the initial attack, with Armentano almost catching him out with a cross-come-shot from the right and Aloisi and Gancedo testing him from close range. Bilbao were back to full strength though, with four first choice players returning to Jupp Heynckes's side, and they gradually worked their way back in to the game. Vales and Etxeberria both saw their efforts saved by Unzué, and after ex Osasuna player Tiko had a claim for a penalty turned down, the youngster hit the bar with a chipped shot from outside of the area.

After the break Lotina's side renewed their domination, and Lafuente again made spectacular saves from Armentano and twice from Aloisi. Urzaiz was being marked out of the game at the other end, but that left other players with more space, and Alkiza found Etxeberria with a first time pass for him to control the ball and beat Unzué. A few minutes later Orbaiz almost made it two with a speculative shot which Unzué only just got back to, and the keeper was lucky to stay on the park after referee Ramírez Domínguez let him off with a yellow card when he handled outside of the area. In the end though the sub-zero temperatures took their toll, and the home side saw their final efforts frustrated as the game came to a close, ending the game with ten men when Contreras picked up a second yellow card. Bilbao move up to fifth, level on points with third placed Celta and within two of the leaders. Osasuna stay in seventeenth place, only a point now above the drop zone, and with a scandal brewing over false bank guarantees for the purchase of Aloisi they may not be able to concentrate as much as they like on the task in hand, staying in the first division this season.