Athletic Bilbao further closed the gap on 4th place Atletico Madrid with a convincing 2-0 display away at the Estadio Coliseum Alfonso Pérez tonight.
A brace from Ghanaian forward, Iñaki Williams put an end to a four-game winless league run for Los Leones, moving them closer to a top-four finish.
On a solemn evening, the home side tiptoed their way onto the pitch, clinging to the hands of their mothers as they paid respect to them on Mother’s Day in Spain.
However, the ocassion was marred 27 minutes into the game. Not even the empathetic and sentimental looks on the faces of the Getafe mothers could prevent Iñaki from finding the corner of the net from the edge of the box.
Iñaki’s fine strike was completely against the run of play as Getafe had taken hold of the game and dominated the ball, but lacked the needed conviction to carve openings in and around Bilbao’s final third.
The goal sent shock waves down the spines of some sections of the Getafe fanbase, but the team looked to dust themselves off the ground and hit back instantaneously.
Manchester United loanee, Mason Greenwood went closest as he pelted down the right-hand side before performing his trademark chop onto his left foot and unleashing a shot, which Unai Simon saw all the way and was equal to it.
Getafe’s presence began to increasingly grow as the half wore on, and they were the much frustrated side when referee Jesus Gil Manzano blew for half time.
Soon after the recess, it was one way traffic. Getafe picked up from where they left off, with ‘ the Greenwood and Unai Simon ‘ contest still very much on; just like in the first half, Mason Greenwood – head down- ran at Getafe’s defense before unleashing a left-footed curler, which Simon tipped wide.
However, it was Unai Simon and Athletic Bilbao who would have the last laugh over Greenwood and Getafe.
Bilbao’s immediate response down the other end of the field was Nico, who had initially teed up his brother Iñaki for the first goal. Nico steamed down the right flank, completely unmarked, before finding Iñaki, who was coming in acres of space at the far post, to prod in his second of the game.
The 2-0 lead put Athletic Bilbao in an unassailable position until everything seemingly appeared to crumble.
Alvarez Yeray’s dismissal for handling the ball on the half way line to prevent a searing break away for Getafe, could not be capitalized on by the home side, who had 34 attempts at Unai Simon’s goal all game.
And as if the one man advantage was not enough to try and halve the deficit, Aitor Paredes was soon sent off for denying a clear goalscoring attempt as well, leaving Athletic down to 9 men after 80 minutes.
There was a real sense of belief and hope for the home side, with every passing move being hurried. The anxiety in the Coliseum had ratcheted up, and so was the intense battle between Mason Greenwood and Unai Simon. But this time, after doing a large chunk of the work and laying the ball into the path of Luis Milla, whose cross struck an arm, it was befitting that Greenwood got his much-deserved goal for his constant probing all night.
But it was not to be as Unai Simon stood firm
to thwart his attempts from 12 yards. There was a feeling of justice with the penalty miss as Bilbao’s manager, Ernesto Valverde, was sent off in the aftermath of the contentious penalty awarded against his side, leaving Bilbao to finish the game with 9 men and manager-less.
Iñaki rising to the occasion
Without a league goal since February, Iñaki Williams was cut a frustrated figure in recent games. And not less, when he put through his own net against Granada few weeks ago.
The wait for the Ghanaian was worth it as his brace moved Bilbao closer to Atletico Madrid in the fight for La Liga’s final Uefa Champions League spot.
But for Bilbao’s hero on the night, Iñaki, his first league brace since April 15, 2023, takes his goal tally in La Liga to 11, making it the best goalscoring returns for the Ghanaian forward since the 2018/2019 season (13)
With 4 games to go – having played one more game than Atletico Madrid- Iñaki and his brother, who set him up for both goals, Nico Williams, will be aiming to end the season on a high.
Securing a Uefa Champions League spot, one that has eluded Bilbao since the 2014/15 season, will be deemed a successful season in addition to their Copa Del Rey trophy clinched a month ago.
Iñaki double spells trouble for Getafe
Iñaki’s stupendous performance had a rippling effect on different sides of the table. For Getafe, securing a 4th European bow will be punching above their weights in a topsy-turvy season.
Having last participated on the European scene during the 2019/20 Europa League season, a win against Bilbao would have moved them to within a point off Valencia in 8th and 3 points within Conference League chasers, Real Betis.
However, this was not to be as Getafe left the game in the same fashion as they commenced; clapping Bilbao on with a guard of Honour for their Copa Del Rey exploits and clapping their beloved fans home on a disappointing result.
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Story by: Andrews Sefa Bamfo| univers.ug.edu.gh
