Athletic Bilbao 2 - Celta Vigo 1

Athletic: Lafuente; Javi González, Murillo, Lacruz, Larrazábal; Oscar Vales (Alkiza 65'), Gurpegui; Etxeberría, Tiko (Arriaga 76'), Yeste (Urzaiz 46'); Ezquerro. 4-2-3-1.
Celta: Cavallero; Méndez, Cáceres, Berizzo, Sylvinho; José Ignacio, Luccin, Giovanella (Doriva 70'); Edu (Juanfran 60'), Jesuli (Coudet 86'); Catanha. 4-3-2-1.

Team changes: Athletic: Javi González, Tiko for César, Larrainzar / Celta: Berizzo, José Ignacio, Giovanella, Jesuli, Catanha for Velasco, Vagner, Coudet, Mostovoi, Juanfran.

Goals:
0-1. 32. Edu. Long header past Lafuente after Berizzo played ball into area.
1-1. 80. Etxeberría. Drilled ball in from close up after defence failed to clear corner.
2-1. 90. Urzaiz. Header in off bar from back of area following corner.

Athletic Bilbao came back from a goal down to defeat Celta and record their first league win in the San Mamés stadium in exactly eight months. Manager Jupp Heynckes was already filling in his unemployment application form when Joseba Etxeberría latched on to a loose ball in the penalty area to drill a shot past Cavallero and level the scores with ten minutes to go. Then in the last minute, substitute Urzaiz rose above the defence to head a Javi González corner over a crowd of players and in to the roof of the net for his first league goal of the season. There were scenes of jubilation amongst the fans, and the striker almost lost his shirt which had to be retrieved from the crowd to allow him to continue.

Athletic started the day next to bottom in the table, and any further slip up would have almost certainly meant the end for the German manager. Heynckes did not change his plans though, switching back to his normal formation with Javi González replacing the suspended César at right back. Celta lined up with a more defensive side, Lotina opting for three men in the centre of midfield rather than two, and although he was missing the injured Mostovoi, he did recover his first choice striker Catanha, who was back after a three week lay off.

The first half was a boring affair, only interrupted by a goal which came from nowhere for the visitors when Berizzo's long clearance from just inside his own half found the head of Edu on the edge of the area for him to steer it past the surprised Lafuente. The keeper appeared to have been daydreaming, and the fact that Bilbao have not had a clean sheet now in 29 league games speaks for itself.

The second half continued in the same vein, and Athletic did not have a real shot at goal until fifteen minutes from the end when Etxeberría headed weakly into the hands of Cavallero. But then came the double strike, leaving Celta six points adrift of the leaders and taking the Basques five places up the table to fifteenth. They are not safe yet, but it was at least a start.