Athletic: Iraizoz; Iraola, Gurpegi (San José 46’), Laporte, Balenziaga; Iturraspe, Mikel Rico; Susaeta (De Marcos 82’), Ander Herrera, Muniain; Guillermo (Toquero 62’). 4-2-3-1.
Getafe: Codina; Valera, Lisandro López, Alexis, Rafa; Borja (Michel 68’), Mosquera (Lacen 46‘); Pedro León, Sammir (Colunga 58’), Lafita; Ciprian Marica. 4-2-3-1.
Goals:
1-0. 39. Susaeta. Curled shot wide of Codina following Herrera free kick.
Yellow cards: Ciprian 37’, Colunga 75’, Rafa 86’, Mikel Rico 90’.
Athletic Bilbao are strong favourites at the moment to take the fourth Champions League spot, and they opened up a nine point gap over the teams below them pending the rest of the weekend’s games after beating Getafe 1-0 on Saturday evening. The Basque side dominated for much of the first half without causing too many problems for the visiting defence, Codina saving comfortably from Mikel Rico and youngster Guillermo,who was replacing the suspended Aduríz. However with five minutes to go to the break Ander Herrera played a set-piece free kick across the area, and Susaeta curled a shot inside the keeper’s near post to open the scoring. Herrera came close to a second soon afterwards when he fired a long shot wide after Codina had come out of his area to clear from Muniain, and after the restart Codina was in action again to keep out an inswinging Susaeta corner, and shots from Laporte and Herrera. Lafita and Cirpian did bring late saves out of Iraizoz as Cosmin Contra’s team looked to save a point, but they ended the day on the brink of the relegation positions after a fourteenth game in a row without a win.