Brothers Inaki and Nico Williams on Thursday teamed up with goals and assists to each other as Athletic Bilbao defeated Atletico Madrid 3-0 to reach their third Copa del Rey final in five seasons.
Gorka Guruzeta also scored for Athletic as they advanced 4-0 on aggregate after having won the first leg 1-0 in Madrid three weeks ago.
The Basque Country club are to play the April 6 final in Seville against RCD Mallorca, who on Tuesday eliminated Real Sociedad on penalties.
Photo: EPA-EFE
“Inaki and I have been getting along very well,” Nico Williams said. “This victory goes to my parents who are in Ghana. Ghana will be a party.”
Nico and Inaki Williams are sons of Ghanaian parents who migrated to Spain before they were born. They are among the few black athletes to ever play at the club that historically fields only players from Spain’s northern Basque Country region or adjoining areas.
“Nico and I have fought hard to be able to enjoy things like this,” Inaki Williams said. “It’s a night to enjoy and to be proud.”
There was fan trouble ahead of the match at the San Mames, with Atletico saying one of their supporters was hospitalized with serious injuries after an altercation with Athletic fans at a nearby bar.
Also, the start of the second half was delayed for more than 15 minutes as medics attended to an Athletic supporter in the stands. The fan reportedly had a cardiac arrest and was taken out on a stretcher. Initial reports by Spanish media said his condition was not serious.
Athletic are the second-most successful club in the Copa with 23 titles, eight less than Barcelona.
Diego Simeone’s side were without forward Antoine Griezmann because of an ankle injury.
“We couldn’t capitalize on our chances in the first leg, and today they played a very good match and we have to congratulate them,” Simeone said.
Inaki Williams opened the scoring 13 minutes into the match with a volley from inside the penalty area after a well-placed cross by his younger brother Nico Williams, who added to the lead from close range in the 42nd minute after a low cross by his sibling.
It was redemption for Nico Williams a year after he had to shut down his social media accounts after a wave of insults from fans following his misses in the team’s elimination against CA Osasuna in last season’s semi-finals.
“It’s a dream to make it here, especially after what happened last season,” he said.
Guruzeta netted the third in the 61st minute to seal Athletic’s victory in front of more than 52,000 fans at the San Mames.
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