Alex Berenguer on Wednesday earned Athletic Bilbao an impressive 1-0 win at Atletico Madrid in a tense Copa del Rey semi-final first leg.
The winger rolled home a 25th-minute penalty to secure the victory, but Atletico were frustrated after a late spot-kick in their favor was annulled.
Yeray Alvarez felled Alvaro Morata in the penalty area in stoppage-time, but a video assistant referee review showed the forward was offside in the buildup.
Photo: Reuters
Athletic inflicted Atletico’s first home defeat of the season in all competitions.
“They pressed us well in the second half, especially, but in the end we got a very good result,” Berenguer told Movistar. “We did what we’ve been doing all the year, the team sacrificed a lot and this is the way we have to continue.”
Sitting fourth in La Liga and 10 points adrift of leaders Real Madrid, cup success remains Atletico’s best avenue to silverware this season.
Diego Simeone’s side defeated holders Real Madrid in the round-of-16 and scraped past Sevilla to reach the semi-finals, but will need to mount a comeback in the Basque Country.
Meanwhile, Athletic ousted record 31-time winners Barcelona in the quarter-finals, and played with grit and determination at the Metropolitano.
The Basque side have lost the past six Copa finals they have played in, although with 23 triumphs they have won more than any side except Barcelona.
The visitors took the lead in the capital when Reinildo Mandava clumsily plowed into Benat Prados to concede a penalty and Berenguer sent Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak the wrong way from the spot.
Memphis Depay might have leveled, but Aitor Paredes was alert to block his shot after a Julen Agirrezabala error, while Antoine Griezmann fired narrowly wide.
Samuel Lino whisked a low effort past the post early in the second half as Atletico sought a leveler.
Asier Villalibre should have doubled Athletic’s lead, but lashed into the side-netting after Oblak parried a shot invitingly into his path.
Regardless, Ernesto Valverde’s side take an impressive result back to their San Mames fortress for the second leg on Feb. 29.
Atletico almost snatched an equalizer, but Inigo Lekue hacked an Angel Correa effort off the line in the final stages.
In stoppage-time Atletico thought they had a penalty of their own, but Morata’s offside saw it canceled out and the striker headed just wide with the last touch of the match.
“We had two or three big chances to equalize and that’s the path we must follow,” Simeone told reporters.
Atletico midfielder Koke also chose to stay positive.
“Just as they won here, we can win at San Mames,” he said. “We have to keep working and turn things around in the second leg.”
Real Sociedad drew 0-0 at RCD Mallorca in the first leg of the other semi-final on Tuesday.
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