Monday, August 17, 2015
Bilbao claim Spanish Super Cup
Athletic Bilbao claimed their first trophy in 31 years as they drew 1-1 with 10-man Barcelona to win the Spanish Super Cup 5-1 on aggregate on Monday.
Lionel Messi had given the European champions -- who trailed 4-0 from the first leg -- a glimmer of hope with the opener two minutes before half time.
However, any realistic hope Barca had of pulling off a monumental comeback disappeared when Gerard Pique was shown a straight red card for dissent 10 minutes into the second half.
And Aritz Aduriz exploited the space left by the Spanish international defender's dismissal to follow up his hat-trick in the first leg with the crucial away goal midway through the second half.
"For us to win a title is the best thing that can happen to us," Aduriz told Spanish TV station Telecinco.
"Apart from the birth of my daughter this is the happiest day of my life."
Defeat ends Barcelona's hopes of matching the club record set by Pep Guardiola's side in 2009 of winning six trophies in a calendar year.
They won't have long to wait for a chance at revenge, though, as the two sides square off once more in their opening game of the La Liga season on Sunday in Bilbao.
"It is a tie of two games and in the first they were clear victors," said Barca captain Andres Iniesta.
"Today we tried everything. Possibly we needed another goal in the first half so that they would have more doubts.
"I think very few teams have won six titles. Very few have won three or four, we will go for the fifth and until December we have an interesting first part of the season ahead of us."
Barcelona boss Luis Enrique had made six changes to the side that was thrashed at the new San Mames on Friday with a host of first-team regulars coming back into the side.
The hosts started on the front foot as Luis Suarez saw a shot deflected just over before Pique's effort came back off the crossbar.
Yet, Athletic's mass ranks of defence were comfortably keeping Enrique's men at bay and the visitors even had a great chance to put the tie to bed when Javier Eraso skipped past Javier Mascherano before firing into the side-netting rather than squaring for Aduriz to apply a simple finish.
Barca finally found a way through thanks to a brilliant move as Suarez headed down for Messi who controlled the ball on his chest before sweeping home.
Claudio Bravo kept Barcelona's hopes alive early in the second period with saves from Markel Susaeta and Aduriz, but the Chilean's good work was undone when Pique was sent-off for something he said to the referee's assistant after he failed to flag Aduriz offside.
To their credit Barca didn't give up as Pedro Rodriguez, Ivan Rakitic and Suarez all fired off target with fine chances to reduce the deficit to two goals.
However, Athletic struck the final blow when Aduriz was given acres of space to latch onto Eraso's flick-on and he slotted into an empty net at the second attempt after Bravo had saved his first effort.
Both sides ended the game with 10 men as Athletic substitute Kike Sola also saw a straight red for a late challenge on Javier Mascherano.
WORLD: World Championship U18 Women - Play Offs - Final
| USA U18 W | 0 | 20 | 18 | 16 | ||
| Italy U18 W | 3 | 25 | 25 | 25 |
Relive the "golden" moment of Italy's upcoming stars at the FIVB Girls U18 World Championship!
Boxing News
Floyd Mayweather will retire after fighting Andre Berto, says Leonard Ellerbe
Floyd Mayweather's fight against Andre Berto in Las Vegas on September 12 will be the last of his career, according to Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe.
The undefeated welterweight will equal heavyweight legend Rocky Marciano's long-standing unbeaten record of 49-0 if he defeats Berto.
The undefeated welterweight will equal heavyweight legend Rocky Marciano's long-standing unbeaten record of 49-0 if he defeats Berto.
Yanga-Mbiwa completes Lyon switch
"There will be a lot of expectation around me and I am going to do everything to live up to that.
"With Lyon our objective is to have a good season in all competitions and notably finish in the top three in the league, and then after that, why not think about the Euro," said the 26-year-old defender, who was born in the Central African Republic.
Yanga-Mbiwa is back in France, where he previously starred in the Montpellier team that won the Ligue 1 title in 2012, after spells at Newcastle United and in the Italian capital.
He has won four caps for Les Bleus, all under current coach Didier Dschamps, the most recent coming in a friendly against Albania in November last year.
France will host next year's European Championship as they look to repeat their feat of 1984, when they were crowned continental champions on home soil.
OL turned to Yanga-Mbiwa to strengthen their defence ahead of their return to the Champions League group stage after previously failing in a bid to sign Cameroon international Nicolas Nkoulou from Marseille.
"He is a player who has the objective of playing at the Euro and, unlike Nicolas Nkoulou, he will not pose any problems when it comes to the Africa Cup of Nations," declared Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas.
The fee for Yanga-Mbiwa could eventually rise to 10 million euros with bonuses.
Lyon recorded their first win of the new French season at the weekend, beating Guingamp 1-0 thanks to a goal from another summer signing, forward Claudio Beauvue.
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