Athletic Bilbao 2 - Sevilla 0

Athletic: Aranzubia; Javi González, Aitor Ocio, Luis Prieto, Del Horno (Larrazábal 90'); Oskar Vales, Alkiza; Joseba Etxeberría, Tiko (Felipe 90'), Yeste (Arriaga 25'); Ezquerro. 4-2-3-1.
Sevilla: Notario; Redondo, Javi Navarro, Pablo Alfaro, David; Casquero, Torrado; Gallardo (Juanmi 74'), Víctor Salas (Machlas 65'), Fredi; Toedtli (Antoñito 65'). 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Athletic: Aitor Ocio, for Karanka, / Sevilla: Víctor Salas for Reyes.

Goals:
1-0. 60. Etxeberría. Pulled down long pass and beat defender before scoring.
2-0. 89. Ezquerro (penalty). After Redondo tripped Arriaga on left of area.

Athletic Bilbao are in eighth spot after beating Sevilla 2-0. It was a bad tempered match, with Sevilla ending the game with nine men and referee Turienzo Alvarez also sending off two of the Sevilla technical staff after they got involved with an argument with the crowd. The game started as befits the league's two hardest sides, with crunching tackles that left Yeste limping off with an injured knee and several others with bruises. The visitors had the best chances in an otherwise tight first half, Casquero shooting just wide after Gallardo set him up and Toedtli running past the defence on a quick breakaway but failing to find the target.

A moment of brilliance by Etxeberría though put the Basque side ahead in the second half, the Spanish international winger controlling a long ball out of defence and turning his defender before beating Notario. A couple of minutes later Fredi was sent off for a foul on Javi González, and ten minutes from the end David followed him for another foul on the same player, who was riticised for play acting by an angry Caparrós. Ezquerro was deputizing again for the injured Urzaiz, and after heading Etxeberría's cross wide with the goal gaping in front of him, he finally got the second goal from the penalty spot in the last minute after Redondo tripped substitute Arriaga in the area.