Athletic Bilbao defeated Sevilla 2-1 on Sunday to extend their unbeaten run to eight games in La Liga and move into the European positions for the first time this season.
While the match lacked the exhilarating atmosphere of Bilbao’s 2-2 draw with Barcelona in the last round of games, Marcelo Bielsa’s team reaffirmed their transformation into one of the league’s most explosive sides by taking the game to the hosts from the start.
Elsewhere on Sunday, Atletico Madrid beat fourth-placed Levante UD 3-2, a third straight loss for the unheralded club after a memorable start to the season that had taken them to the top of the table for the first time in their history.
Photo: EPA
Andoni Iraola gave Bilbao an early lead in the sixth minute with a sharply taken strike from outside the area to put the visitors on their way to a first win at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan in 18 years.
Jesus Navas pulled Sevilla even in the 15th minute, but Bilbao never lost their attacking verve and Oscar de Marcos put the Basques back ahead for good in the 71st minute when the fullback stole the ball, raced onto Iker Muniain’s through pass and rolled home his own rebound.
Atletico’s game against Levante finally came to life at Vicente Calderon Stadium after a dull first half.
Luis “Pizzi” Afonso put Atletico in front in the 68th minute when the forward ran on to fellow substitute Jose Antonio Reyes’ pass and fired through the legs of Levante goalkeeper Gustavo Munua.
Levante equalized with a goal by Xavi Torres four minutes later, only for striker Adrian Lopez to immediately respond with a headed goal to reclaim the lead for Atletico, before Diego added what proved to be the decisive third goal.
Ruben Suarez narrowed the deficit for Levante with a goal on the final whistle.
Earlier, Nacho Novo scored late to cap Sporting de Gijon’s 2-1 comeback win over 10-man Getafe, while CA Osasuna v Rayo Vallecano de Madrid and Real Sociedad v RCD Espanyol both ended in scoreless draws.
Nicolas “Miku” Fedor grabbed Getafe’s 35th-minute opener with a great individual effort, only for Sporting forward Oscar Trejo to level the score in first-half stoppage-time.
The match between Granada and RCD Mallorca was abandoned in the 63rd minute after an assistant referee was hit in the face by an umbrella thrown from the stands at the Estadio Nuevo Los Carmenes with Granada winning 2-1.
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