News Archive

Europa League, day 4

Both Spanish teams are within a point or so of qualifying for the knock-out stage after they won their respective games on Thursday evening. Villarreal had a few problems though before running out 1-2 winners at Dinamo Minsk, Vitus putting the locals ahead midway through the second half before a Soldado penalty and a Politevich own goal turned the scoreline around near the end. Athletic Bilbao however cruised to a 5-1 victory over Partizan Belgrade later in the evening, Williams scoring twice in the first twenty minutes, Beñat making it three before the break, and Aduriz and Elustondo adding two more after the restart. Oumaru levelled it temporarliy for the Serbs between the Williams goals. (05.11.15)

Athletic Bilbao 5 - Partizan Belgrade 1

Athletic Bilbao cruised to a 5-1 victory over Partizan Belgrade on Thursday evening, and they ended the day at the top of their group, three points clear of their opponents. Iñaki Williams kept up his recent good for with the opening two goals, the first on the quarter hour mark after running on to a headed pass by Bóveda. Oumaru levelled it temporarily for the Serbs a couple of minutes later after picking up the ball in an offside position, but just two minutes after that Williams turned a second past Kljajic after Beñat and Aduríz combined to set him up. With five minutes to go to the break Beñat made it three with a free kick which found a gap in the defensive wall, and with twenty minutes to go Aduríz headed the fourth from another Beñat free kick, the striker’s 100th goal in an Athletic shirt. Ten minutes later Elustondo wrapped things up following a quick team passing move, and Aduríz could have added a sixth had Kljajic not saved his header near the end. (05.11.15)

Dinamo Minsk 1 – Villarreal 2

Villarreal were expected to have things easy against the club at the bottom of their group, Dinamo Minsk, but in the end they had a few problems before coming back from behind late on to win 1-2. Although the team from Belarus had lost all three previous games without scoring a single goal, they limited their opponents to a couple of weak efforts from Bakambu and Jokic before the break. And with twenty minutes to go the locals took the lead, substitute Vitus turning a Beciraj cross past Barbosa soon after coming on. That woke Villarreal up though, and just three minutes later Samuel won a penalty off Voronkov which Soldado converted. After that Marcelino threw everything forward, and with four minutes left on the clock Soldado picked up a pass from Dos Santos and fired in a shot which took a wicked deflection off Politevich to enter the goal just inside Ignatovich’s near post. The Spaniards now only need a point from their next match against leaders Rapid Vienna to go through, although they will be looking for a win to give them a shot at finishing as group champions. (05.11.15)