Athletic Bilbao 1 - Málaga 0

Athletic: Aranzubia; Iraola, Murillo, Luis Prieto, Del Horno; Gurpegui, Orbaiz; Etxeberría (Felipe 87'), Yeste, Arriaga (Jonan García 63'); Urzaiz. 4-2-3-1.
Málaga: Calatayud; Gerardo, Juanito, Fernando Sanz, Valcarce; Miguel Angel (Juan Rodríguez 80'), Romero; Edgar, Leko (Manu 72'), Duda (Luque 66'); Wanchope. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Athletic: Murillo, Etxeberría, Yeste for Karanka, Igor Angulo, Jonan García / Málaga: Romero for Amoroso.

Goals:
1-0. 33. Urzaiz. Got on end of Yeste free kick to steer header wide of keeper.

Athletic Bilbao moved away from the danger spots with a 1-0 win over Málaga, who drop out of the Champions League spots as a result. It was a match with very few chances, with only Gurpegui and Arriaga testing Calatayud before Urzaiz opened the scoring, his powerful header from Yeste's free kick the 97th league goal of his career. Before half time the visitors did get the ball in the net, but only when Wanchope bundled Murillo into the net after Aranzubia could only push up Edgar's cross, and referee Daudén Ibáñez ruled out the strike after a long discussion with his linesman.

Tempers were frayed after that, but the only scoring chance came a minute after the restart when Orbaiz blasted the ball over the bar from the edge of the area. Yeste should have done better when he tried to beat the keeper with a colleague better placed, but the Basque side had done enough to take the three points and boost their confidence for their UEFA cup tie against Parma next Thursday.