Athletic: Iraizoz; Iraola, Javi
Martínez, San José, Aurtenetxe; Iñigo Pérez (Ander
Herrera 46'), Iturraspe, De Marcos; David López (Susaeta 46'), Llorente
(Toquero 75'), Muniain. 4-3-3.
Espanyol: Kiko Casilla;
Javi López, Raúl Rodríguez, Héctor Moreno, Didac;
Forlín (Kalu Uche 81'), Romaric; Coutinho (Thievy 66'), Verdú,
Weiss; Rui Fonte (Albín 73'). 4-2-3-1.
Goals:
1-0. 25 De Marcos. Picked up bad Didac clearance and
poked shot past Casilla.
1-1. 32. Romaric. Swept shot past Iraizoz from
edge of area following Weiss pass.
1-2. 47. Weiss. Ran on from midfield and
struck long shot over head of Iraizoz..
2-2. 57. Llorente. Ran forward to
head wide Susaeta free kick down past Casilla.
3-2. 64. Javi
Martínez. Steered header wide of keeper from Ander Herrero centre.
3-3. 92. Albín. Fired wide shot in off crossbar after Kalu Uche
played ball over.
Yellow cards: Muniain 28', David López 43', Weiss 58', Forlín 69', Iturraspe 85', Ander 86', Javi Martínez 88', Albín 89'.
Sixth placed Athletic Bilbao and fifth placed Espanyol could both of taken over fourth spot had they been able to win, but in the end they stayed where they were pending the rest of the weekend's games after a thrilling 3-3 draw. Llorente had a headed strike disallowed for what the referee considered was a previous foul, but a few minutes later De Marcos battled through to open the scoring. Iraizoz saved from Héctor Moreno at the other end however, and soon afterwards Romaric equalised after latching on to a square pass from Weiss. Before half time Moreno headed the ball in to the net from Verdú's cross only for the referee to rule it out for a questionable offside, and a couple of minutes after the restart Weiss put the visitors ahead with a spectacular shot from outside of the area. Athletic came back with headed goals by Llorente and Javi Martínez, the first from Susaeta's free kick and the second from a centre by Ander, and Susaeta hit the post minutes later. But with the game in the second minute of injury time Kalu Uche played Didac's pass over the top for Albín to crash a shot in off the crossbar. A point apiece in the end, and on this form both teams are likely to be up there when the season ends.