Athletic Bilbao Narrowly Beat Almería 1-0 with a Set Piece

# Athletic Bilbao Narrowly Beat Almería 1-0 with a Set Piece

In a thrilling encounter, Athletic Bilbao edged past Almería with a narrow 1-0 victory, thanks to a well-executed set piece. The match, held at the Mendizorrotza Stadium, saw both teams battle fiercely for supremacy, but it was Athletic who ultimately emerged victorious.

The game was scoreless in the first half, with both sides struggling to create clear chances. Athletic, however, displayed their set-piece expertise, which ultimately proved the decisive factor. In the 55th minute, they capitalized on a perfectly executed free-kick routine. The ball was quickly distributed to the edge of the penalty box, where a well-timed run by Raúl García allowed him to fire a powerful shot into the top corner, giving Athletic the lead.

Despite Almería’s valiant efforts to equalize, Athletic’s defense held firm. The visitors threw everything forward in search of an equalizer, but the home side’s backline remained solid. Almería’s attackers often found themselves in promising positions, but their finishing lacked precision, and Athletic’s goalkeeper, Ander Adán, was equal to the task whenever he was called into action.

The win extends Athletic Bilbao’s recent positive form and keeps them in contention for a potential top-half finish in the league standings. Meanwhile, Almería will need to improve their defensive organization and conversion rates in front of goal if they are to avoid slipping further down the table.

Overall, the match was a testament to Athletic Bilbao’s ability to exploit set pieces and their tactical discipline, while also highlighting the challenges Almería face at the other end of the pitch.