Cadiz fall into their own trap and allow Athletic Club away with three points

Cadiz 2-3 Athletic Club

Before this match, Sergio Gonzalez told the media that his team had two opponents in this match: the opponents and themselves. His point was that his players must not relax after a famous victory over Barcelona on Monday. Sergio was right, he was just powerless to stop it.

The opening half hour of the match could scarcely have gone worse for the hosts. A long ball was flicked on by Raul Garcia and Inaki Williams backheeled that pass back into Garcia’s path for the opener. Even so, Conan Ledesma’s form deserted him in this instance.

Nico Williams then won a penalty which Iker Muniain failed to convert initially, but two swipes at the rebound were enough for Athletic’s second. The third didn’t dawdle in coming either, Muniain laying off the ball for Mikel Vesga to fire into the corner from outside the box after 32 minutes.

When Sergio tries to come up with positives, the reaction will be top of that list. Cadiz laid siege on the Athletic goal in the second half, with varying degrees of effectivity.

Lucas Perez bundled in an Unai Simon mistake with his first contribution to the match, before Vesga saw a second yellow. Athletic faced a constant stream of yellow coming towards them thereafter, but needed the quality of Alvaro Negredo to draw the match closer. Ivan Alejo’s cross was chested by Negredo into the path of Ruben Sobrino, who made no error with three minutes to go.

Cadiz threw it all at Athletic in stoppage time, including Ledesma, but couldn’t convert any more of their 27 shots into goals.

Marcelino Garcia Toral finished the match relieved and despite the excellent effort in the second period, it will be frustration that Sergio feels when analysing this match.

Cadiz stay a point clear of relegation, while the Basques reduce the gap to 7th-placed Villarreal to 4 points.

Tags Athletic Club Cadiz La Liga
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