Athletic Bilbao 1 - Almería 1

Athletic: Iraizoz; Iraola, Aitor Ocio, Amorebieta, Del Horno; Etxeberría (David López 55'), Orbaiz (Expósito 71'), Javi Martínez, Susaeta; Vélez (Koikili 46'), Aduriz. 4-4-2.
Almería: Cobeño; Bruno (Corona 46'), Carlos García, Acasiete, Mané; Juanito (Natalio 46'), Soriano; Juanma Ortíz, Felipe Melo, Crusat (Kalu Uche 79'); Negredo. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Athletic: Susaeta for David López / Almería: No change.

Goals:
1-0. 31. Etxeberría. Slid ball into net after Aduriz headed on Del Horno throw.
1-1. 61. Felipe Melo. Header back down past Iraizoz from Corona's corner.

Athletic Bilbao have yet to win at the San Mamés stadium this season, and they were held to a 1-1 draw this weekend by Almería. According to tradition for teams visiting the ground for the first time, the newcomers paid their respect to the statue of Pichichi by laying a wreath of flowers. But there the respect ended, and Negredo could have put the visitors ahead a couple of times in the opening minutes. With half an hour on the clock it was the hosts who opened the scoring though, Etxeberría sliding the ball past Cobeño for his first goal at home in three and a half years.

With the first half coming to a close however, referee González Vázquez sent off Del Horno for a lunging tackle on Bruno, and Athletic were down to ten men. Caparrós brought on Kiokili at the break to cover the position, but after that they were on the defensive, with substitutes Natalio and Corona both going close soon after the restart. And a quarter of an hour in to the second half Felipe Melo equalised, heading Corona's corner down past Gorka Iraizoz. The Basque side held on for a point, but they are now only one place off the relegation zone, just above Valladolid, who they visit in two week's time. Lose that and they are in the bottom three once again.