Athletic Bilbao have reached the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey after securing a narrow 1-0 win against Malaga in their second-leg clash at the San Mames Stadium which saw them edge the tie 1-0 on aggregate.
Following a tense first half which, like the first leg of the tie, ended goalless, the hosts took the lead just after the restart when Aritz Aduriz latched on to Iago Herrera's long punt upfield to bear down on goal and slot home.
Malaga upped the tempo in the second half in a bid to get the upper hand in a very delicate tie, but the Athletic defence and goalkeeper were able to repel every attack coming their way.
The result means that the Basque outfit will take on Espanyol in the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey, while Barcelona will play Villarreal in the other tie.
Giuseppe Labellarte
