Athletic Bilbao 2 - Recreativo Huelva 3

Athletic: Aranzubia; Javi González, Aitor Ocio (Karaka 90'), Luis Prieto (Julen Guerrero 46') , Del Horno; Oskar Vales (Aduritz 76'), Alkiza; Joseba Etxeberría, Tiko, Arriaga; Ezquerro. 4-2-3-1.
Recreativo: Luque; Merino, Loren, Iker Begoña, Pernía; Camacho; Javi García, Viqueira, Quique Romero (Mario Bermejo 50'), Benítez (Espinol 86'); Xisco (Oscar Arpón 93'). 4-1-4-1.

Team changes: Athletic: No change / Recreativo: Quique Romero, Xisco for Raúl Molina, Joaozinho.

Goals:
0-1. 08. Benítez. Following up after Aranzubia blocked shot from Xisco.
0-2. 14. Quique Romero. Ran on to Benítez pass to shoot past keeper.
0-3. 20. Xisco. Controlled Viqueira pass with chest and beat Aranzubia.
1-3. 58. Del Horno. Took advantage of defensive error to hit shot in off Merino.
2-3. 76. Ezquerro. Headed past keeper from Javi González cross in.

Recreativo Huelva started where they left off last week, with three goals in twenty minutes. Six days ago they did it at the end of their match against Atlético, and this time they did it at the start of their game at Athletic Bilbao. And curiously the goals came from the same three players who all took advantage of slack defending to score. First it was Benítez who found the ball at his feet after the defence failed to clear Xisco's shot. Then Quique Romero when Oskar Vales failed to cut out a pass from Benítez. And finally Xisco, beating a poorly executed offside trap to control a pass from the excellent Viqueira and beat Aranzubia.

Athletic were gob-smacked. Nobody had done this to them in their San Mamés stadium, least of all the bottom club in the league. Heyckes turned to an experienced head at the break, Julen Guerrero coming on for what is now a rare appearance, and gradually the Basques steadied their nerves. Recre manager Lucas Alcaraz, suspended for this match due to an accumulation of yellow cards, gave out orders from the stands to pull back and defend the lead, and the home side took advantage to get back in the game.

Asier Del Horno pulled one back with his normally wooden right foot, and although Xisco almost increased the lead for the visitors, Ezquerro got on the end of a Javi González cross to head a second, the fifth game in a row that he has scored. But then Del Horno got himself sent off for punching Loren, and the challenge effectively ended. Recreativo are now only a point behind Rayo Vallecano, and the result gives them a boost for their midweek cup semi-final second leg at Osasuna.