Athletic Bilbao 0 - Sevilla 1

Athletic: Aranzubia; Iraola, Luis Prieto (Murillo 52'), Lacruz, Tarantino; Orbaiz, Gurpegui; Etxeberría, Tiko (Javi González 84'), Yeste (Julen Guerrero 70'); Llorente. 4-2-3-1.
Sevilla: Palop; Daniel Alves, Javi Navarro, Aitor Ocio, David (Antonio Puerta 70'); Jesús Navas, Martí, Maresca, Adriano (Alfaro 87'); Kanouté, Saviola (Kepa 74'). 4-4-2.

Team changes: Athletic Tarantino, Tiko for Casas, Ibon Gutiérrez / Sevilla: Aitor Ocio, David for Dragutinovic, Antonio Puerta.

Goals:
0-1. 43. Alves. Fired shot back into net after Aranzubia pushed out Maresca cross

Sevilla celebrated the start of their centenary year with a 0-1 victory at Athletic Bilbao, who stay in the bottom three as a result. Both sides started the day in the lower reaches of the table, and the game got off to a frantic start, Saviola shooting wide and Llorente having an effort saved by Palop and then turning another shot wide of the post. Kanouté missed a sitter from two yards out after Jesús Navas set him up, and Orbaiz fired another long shot wide across goal.

Two minutes before the break Daniel Alves got what was to be the only goal of the game, a screamer of a shot after Aranzubia could only palm away a Jesús Navas cross. Saviola could have made it two before the half time whistle when Lacruz headed his lob over the bar, and Navas missed the target again soon after the restart.

With a quarter of an hour to go Athletic were left with ten men when Tarantino was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Navas, and Adriano could have scored when he drove a shot wide with the goal at his mercy.

Julen Guerrero came on for the locals and hit the post near the end, although the play was ruled out for non-existent offside. And referee Pino Zamorano upset the home fans when he turned down a last minute penalty appeal after the ball hit Javi Navarro on the arm. A poor result for the Basque side though, and coach José Luis Mendilibar is under pressure to turn things around as soon as possible.