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Athletic Bilbao logo
La Liga
Apr 28, 2015 at 9pm UK
 
Real Sociedad logo

1-1

Aduriz (52' pen.)
FT(HT: 0-0)
de la Bella (60')
Gonzalez (50')

Live Commentary: Athletic Bilbao 1-1 Real Sociedad - as it happened

Follow Sports Mole's live coverage of the La Liga match at San Mames between Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad.
2

Real Sociedad came from behind to secure a 1-1 draw with Athletic Bilbao in the Basque derby in La Liga.

Aritz Aduriz put the home side ahead in the second half after being brought down in the penalty box, resulting in Mikel Gonzalez being sent off.

Alberto de la Bella got the visitors back on level terms less than 10 minutes later though.

Read how all the action unfolded below.


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Good evening! Two sides who will still be hoping that they can move up a place or two in the La Liga table in the final games of the season go head-to-head at San Mames as Athletic Bilbao host Real Sociedad. Let's take a look at the teams.

ATHLETIC BILBAO STARTING XI: Iraizoz, Laporte, Iraola, Gurpegui, Balenziaga, San Jose, Benat, Susaeta, Aketxe, Williams, Aduriz

REAL SOCIEDAD STARTING XI: Rulli, C Martinez, Gonzalez, I Martinez, De la Bella, Bergara, Prieto, Pardo, Zurutuza, Castro, Vela

ATHLETIC BILBAO SUBSTITUTES: Herrerin, De Marcos, Bustinza, Iturraspe, Rico, Sola, Viguera

REAL SOCIEDAD SUBSTITUTES: Zubikarai, Finnbogason, Zaldua, Elustondo, Granera, Canales, Agirretxe

So it's four changes for the hosts as Andoni Iraola returns at the back, while Carlos Gurpegui also comes in after featuring off the bench last time out. Mikel Balenziaga and Markel Susaeta also start after missing out the 1-0 win over Cordoba at the weekend.

Having drawn with Villarreal on Saturday, the visitors make just two changes as Estaban Granero drops to the bench for Markel Bergara, while Gonzalo Castro is preferred to Imanol Agirretxe.

These two sides have been in contrasting form in recent weeks, with Athletic celebrating their seventh win in 10 outings at the weekend, while Sociedad have not won in their last five outings, although three of those matches have finished in draws.

Ahead of the Basque derby, Bilbao defender Carlos Gurpegui told reporters: "We've had a poor run against Real Sociedad in recent times but statistics are there to be broken. This game means a lot to us just as it does to them. We want to keep up the pressure on Malaga. We want them to know that if they slip, we will be ready to overtake them."

``It's a beautiful game to play and we have no doubt that they will come here determined to win and to end their season in the best possible way.''


Meanwhile, Sociedad manager David Moyes said at his pre-match press conference: "Derbies are always special. There are no favourites in a derby. We need to play well and create goalscoring opportunities. It has been a difficult season for us and we want to give our fans something to smile about."

PREDICTION! With the players due to make their way out shortly, there's just time for a quick prediction. Derby matches are always difficult to predict, with tensions and rivalries often enough to make form and table positions meaningless. On paper at least, Bilbao should start as favourites, and I think they could get a hard-fought 2-1 win tonight.

The players come out of the tunnel, and San Mames is absolutely rocking!

KICKOFF! The hosts get the match underway.

Aritz Aduriz wastes no time going for an ambitious bicycle kick after Inaki Williams teed the ball up for Bilbao's top scorer, but Inigo Martinez was there to not only block the shot, but draw a foul for a high boot from the striker.

Both sides appear keen to get on the front foot tonight as Carlos Vela launches Real Sociedad on a counter-attack, leaving Castro and Pardo in space on the edge of the box, but the hosts manage to clear the danger. Prieto bursts back down the wing, crossing it back in, but Gurpegui nods it clear.

Aduriz has been sharp in the opening few minutes, but he's a little too quick as he tries to lose the centre-back with a sprint towards the box, drawing an offside. Needless to say, the home fans disagree with the call, but the replays show that he was a yard off.

CHANCE! Castro unleashes the first real shot of the night from the left-hand side of the box, hitting it on the half-volley. It's not the best effort though, as the outswinging strike finishes well wide.

The home side press forward again, allowing Iraola to curl the ball into the box from the right flank. His delivery misses Aduriz though, while Gonzalez beats Inaki Williams to it, allowing Rulli to gather it.

Sociedad win the first corner of the night as De La Bella forces the keeper to turn the ball behind. The visitors appeal for a handball in the box as Guipegui clears, but the referee isn't convinced.

BOOKING! There are always going to be cards in a derby, and it doesn't take the referee long to reach for his yellow as Mikel Balenziaga clatters into the back of Carlos Vela, earning the Bilbao man a booking.

CHANCE! Balenziaga's foul leaves the visitors with a free kick around 25 yards out on the right, which Prieto blasts in, but his teammates can't reach to tap it in. The home side quickly break down the other end, with a beautifully weighted cross falling for Aduriz, but Rulli somehow manages to scoop it over the crossbar at full stretch. It's a spectacular effort from the visiting keeper.

Prieto cuts the ball back down the other end for Bergara to unleash a powerful finish from the edge of the box, but his finish is always rising and fails to trouble Iraizoz. It's certainly been an even and entertaining start to the derby, with chances at both ends.

Athletic have started to look a bit more settled in the last few minutes, using the pace of Williams to put the visitors under pressure before trying to set up Aduriz, but Sociedad force a mistake from Williams which sees him put the ball behind.

Moyes's side have another corner, which Prieto tries to flick it after outjumping San Jose, but his finish from a tight angle is sliced just short. Sociedad don't look as organised as their opponents going forward, but they're threatening on the break and forcing plenty of set pieces.

A late challenge from Mikel Gonzalez on Markel Susaeta leaves the hosts with a free kick 30 yards out. Benat lines it up and goes straight for the goal, but he gets his foot underneath it and powers it well high. It's a pretty disappointing effort in the end.

CHANCE! Once again, Sociedad look threatening on the break, leaving Vela to smash a rocket of a volley towards the Bilbao goal, but it doesn't quite dip enough to squeeze under the crossbar.

Athletic soon have another free kick back down the other end, which Benat stands over again, this time curling it in from out wide. Susaeta goes for the header, but he can't quite reach it in time, and the visitors manage to scramble it clear.

Aduriz tries to set his strike partner up as he tries to cross the ball in for Williams, but Bergara manages to turn it behind. There's a half-appeal from the fans for a spot kick as the Sociedad man used his shoulder and upper arm to make the block, but there was really nothing he could do to get his arm out of the way. Bilbao can't capitalise from the corner though.

Gurpegui and Vela both go up for a high ball, but the latter appears to elbow the Bilbao man in the face. Gurpegui wants some punishment for the Sociedad striker as he clutches his face, but the referee decides that it was an accident. It's probably the right decision, but Gurpegui is not happy.

Aketxe charges towards the Sociedad goal, with his flick into the box falling for Benat, but it seems to catch the midfielder a little by surprise, ultimately leaving Rulli with an easy catch.

Bilbao are really turning the screw as they try to break the deadlock before the break. A goal now would certainly liven things up before half time, but the visitors just about manage to keep their Basque rivals out, although their defending has been rather scrappy in the last few minutes.

Bilbao are definitely looking the stronger of the two sides at the moment as Aduriz tries to find Susaeta with a through-ball, but he just puts a little too much on it for the midfielder to reach before it goes behind.

San Jose loses the ball in midfield, allowing De La Bella to charge towards the home side's goal, picking out Vela, whose path into the box is blocked. A Long throw from Castro keeps the visitors' move alive, but Iraizoz manages to snatch it.

HALF TIME: Athletic Bilbao 0-0 Real Sociedad

The referee decides that he doesn't need to add any time on in the opening 45 minutes, so the players head off level after a goalless first half. Bilbao have looked the stronger of the two sides, and certainly had the best chance from an Aritz Aduriz header, but Sociedad certainly haven't been played off the pitch. It's still all to play for after the break.

In the first half, Athletic had just slightly more of the ball with 52% possession. Real Sociedad actually had more chances, with seven shots, three on target, compared to just four with one on target for Bilbao, but the visitors really haven't produced anything that has tested Gorka Iraizoz too much.

There have been a couple of half-shouts for penalties, with an apparent handball by Gurpegui, but there really wasn't much he could have done to get his arm out of the way. Bergara had a similar moment down the other end later in the half, but the referee barely flinched at either. In truth, the appeals for Athletic's mainly came from the supporters.

As you would expect with a derby, it's been a bit physical at times, with Mikel Balenziaga already booked for one of nine fouls committed by the hosts in the opening 45 minutes, which was just one more than their opponents.

The players are making their way back out ready for the second half.

RESTART! Sociedad get the action back underway at San Mame.

Both sides remain unchanged from the first half. The visitors spend the opening couple of minutes just trying to settle themselves, keeping possession as the back before Zurutuza bursts through a gap in the middle. He loses it though, allowing Benat to put the ball in down the other end, but the visitors just managed to get the ball to Rulli instead.

PENALTY TO ATHLETIC BILBAO!

RED CARD! Mikel Gonzalez The defender barges into Aduriz in the box after the striker had beaten Rulli, earning him a a straight red.

GOAL! Athletic Bilbao 1-0 Real Sociedad (Aritz Aduriz PEN.)

Well that's certainly changed things. Real Sociedad find themselves a goal and a man down after Gonzalez's foul on Aduriz in the box. Aduriz steps up the take the spot kick himself, stuttering on the approach to send Rulli the wrong way before coolly rolling the ball into the bottom corner. Incidentally, Alberto de la Bella was also booked in the aftermath of the sending off for saying something the referee didn't like.

SUB! Gonzalez's dismissal forces David Moyes to make a change, with Gorka Elustonda coming on for Gonzalo Castro.

DISALLOWED GOAL! Athletic Bilbao have the ball in the back of the net again as Susaeta curls the ball in towards Aduriz, who misses it, allowing Aketxe to rifle in unmarked from near the penalty spot. The scorer of the penalty was offside as Susaeta's cross came in though, so the referee rules it out.

CHANCE! For the second time this evening, Aduriz tries an overhead kick, twisting awkwardly as the ball is played in, but he can't force a shot on target. Williams soon gets it back though, forcing a corner for the hosts, who are clearly keen to make the most of their man advantage.

GOAL! Athletic Bilbao 1-1 Real Sociedad (Alberto de le Bella)

What a stunning equaliser for the visitors! Pardo slides it out wide to Alberto de la Bella, and the defender takes a touch before launching a dripping effort towards the far corner, which Iraizoz stretches desperately for, but there's nothing the keeper can do to stop it dipping under the crossbar. Great finish from the defender.

CHANCE! This match has certainnly livened up in the last 10 minutes! The home side come within a couple of inches of retaking the lead, but Iraola's low strike from the edge of the box is just wide of the left upright.

SUB! Athletic make their first change, with Oscar de Marcos taking the place of Ager Aketxe.

Benat tries to find a way through for the hosts, but he loses out to Vela on the edge of the box. The striker blasts a driven effort towards the Bilbao goal from 25 yards out swings just left of the target.

Once reduced to 10 men, the visitors looked like they were going to struggle, with the hosts showing plenty going forward. However, since the equaliser, Sociedad actually look a better side than they did in the first half, and Moyes is shouting from the sideline, encouraging his side to go on the attack. Clearly, he things the 10-man visitors can still secure all three points, but there's still a long way to go.

Benat hooks a high ball into the box for Susaeta, who appears to be clear through on goal but Carlos Martinez makes an excellent last-gasp clearance to dent the hosts.

SUB! Bilbao make a second change, with Borja Viguera coming on for Susaeta.

The visitors get forward again, with Prieto squaring the ball for Vela in the box, but the striker isn't expecting it, allowing De Marcos to boot it clear. The clearance sets Bilbao up for a quick counter-attack, from which they win a corner, but that only allows Sociedad to get numbers back and clear it comfortably.

SUB! Carlos Vela won't finish the match, and he looks rather disappointed as he sees that he is being replaced by Sergio Canales.

BOOKING! Canales is involved immediately, but he can't get free as he's wrestled to the ground by Aymeric Laporte, resulting in a booking for the Bilbao defender.

CHANCE! Iraizoz has to be alert from the resulting free kick as Prieto tried to tap in from Canales's curling delivery, but the keeper just holds on to it.

Rico has been pretty fiesty since coming on, and he clashes with Zurutuza out wide to win a free kick in a promising position. The initial ball in is cleared, but Williams plays it back in, only for the visitors to intercept and break down the other end. Bilbao had been starting to look the stronger of the two sides again, but Sociedad are doing enough to remind the hosts that they are a handful on the counter.

BOOKING! Ruben Pardo is the latest name in the referee's book as he tangles with Viguera.

A high ball forward for the hosts drops to Mikel Rico, who tries to hit it on the volley, but he gets the timing all wrong, scuffing it into the ground to let Sociedad off.

CHANCE! Inaki Williams is unmarked as the ball is played in, and after Aduriz fails to get a shot away, the striker rushes forward looking for the volley but he's a touch slow on the uptake, slicing it harmlessly into Rulli's arms.

Both sides have three minutes of stoppage time to try to find a winner. Bilbao have certainly been doing most of the pressing in the last five minutes, but their finishing hasn't been the best.

Sociedad fail to clear a De Marcos ball forward, allowing Williams to cross the ball in for Balenziaga, but it goes straight out the other side. De Marcos tries to whip it back in, but Canales is back to help out in defence, blocking it.

FULL TIME: Athletic Bilbao 1-1 Real Sociedad

So it's honours even at full time in the Basque derby, with Real Sociedad coming from a goal down after being reduced to 10 men to earn a point at San Mame.

That's all from this match, but if you want to catch up on all the action from all the matches in La Liga this evening, you can finds links to the reports on our fixtures page. There's more from the Spanish top flight tomorrow, so make you join us again then with Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid both in action. Until then, thanks for joining me this evening. Goodbye.

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Head coach David Moyes of Real Sociedad looks on during the La Liga match between Real Socided and Elche FC at Estadio Anoeta on November 28, 2014
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3GironaGirona29195559342562
4Athletic Bilbao29168550262456
5Atletico MadridAtletico29174854342055
6Real Sociedad291210742311146
7Real BetisBetis29101273433142
8Valencia28117103232040
9Villarreal29108114751-438
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11Las PalmasLas Palmas29107122932-337
12Osasuna29106133343-1036
13AlavesAlaves2988132635-932
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15Rayo Vallecano29611122538-1329
16Sevilla29610133644-828
17Celta Vigo2969143244-1227
18CadizCadiz29313132040-2022
19Granada2828183058-2814
20Almeria29110182857-2913


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