Tenerife 2 - Athletic Bilbao 3

Tenerife: Julio Iglesias; Manel, Alexis, Lussenhoff, Basavilbaso; Bino (Iván Ania 85'), Jaime; Simutenkov, Bruno Marioni (Antonio Hidalgo 60'), Martí; Bichi Fuertes (Rubén 68'). 4-2-3-1.
Bilbao: Aranzubia; Murillo, Aitor Ocio, Oscar Vales, Javi González; Urrutia, Alkiza (Orbaiz 65'); Cuéllar, Julen Guerrero (Gurpegui 84'), Yeste (Ezquerro 74'); Urzaiz. 4-3-2-1.

Team changes: Tenerife: Simutenkov for Bassedas / Bilbao Murillo, Aitor Ocio, Javi González, Urzaiz for Felipe, Alkorta, Larrazábal, Ezquerro.

Goals:
1-0. 09. Urzaiz. Hit dipping shot over keeper from outside of area.
1-1. 17. Jaime. Headed cross from Simutenkov into roof of net.
2-1. 44. Bichi Fuertes (penalty). After Murillo ruled to have brought him down.
2-2. 60. Urzaiz. Header into top corner from Yeste free kick.
2-3. 76. Julen Guerrero. Far post header from cross in by Javi González.

Tenerife's last gasp effort to save themselves ended in failure after they lost at home to Athletic Bilbao. The Canary Islanders needed to win and hope that Mallorca lost and Las Palmas managed no better than a draw to stay in the first division. The visitors though still had a chance of qualifying for the UEFA cup, and they took the lead in the ninth minute through Urzaiz, back after a one match suspension, who hit a long volley over the stranded Julio Iglesias. Clemente urged his men on though, and they got their reward a few minutes later when Jaime stuck out his head to beat Aranzubia from close up after Simutenkov laid the ball across. The news from the other grounds was mixed, with Mallorca behind but Las Palmas scoring at Real Sociedad, and Marioni fired a free kick just over the bar.

Then three minutes before half time the floodlights failed, and the ground was plunged into semi-darkness. After a fruitless wait of three minutes referee Medina Cantalejo conferred with the captains, who agreed there was enough natural light to play out the rest of the first half. Play resumed, and two minutes later Murillo clashed with Bichi Fuertes in the area. Although the striker's fall was to say the least dubious, Medina had no doubt and awarded a penalty, which Fuertes himself converted much to the delirium of the crowd.

But there appeared to be no solution to the floodlight problem, and with night closing in there was a frustrating wait for the electricity company to find the fault. The clock ticked on and on, and the radios announced the worst: Mallorca and Alavés had both won and the fight was over. Tenerife were already in the second division and Bilbao had no chance of making it to Europe. After a hour and a quarter the lights came back on, but nobody had much heart to carry on with the game. Still they completed the formalities, and with their opponents in disarray Bilbao scored twice through Urzaiz and Julen Gurrero to take away a hollow victory. Clemente had failed for the first time in his career to save a side from relegation, and he will be saying a sad goodbye to the club. The lights had gone out once again.