Athletic Bilbao’s Copa del Rey semi-final against Levante is finely poised after a 1-1 draw in the first leg at San Mames
Gonzalo Melero netted the opener midway through the first half when he swept in from inside the penalty area following some haphazard Athletic defending.
But Athletic, who are still to play the 2019-20 Copa final, got themselves back on level terms just before the hour as Inigo Martinez climbed highest inside the box to head home from a corner.
The match remained all square and the second leg – at Levante’s Ciudad de Valencia on March 4 – must now produce a victor to advance and face either Sevilla or Barcelona in the April final.
Melero broke the deadlock following a cagey start when he received the ball from Jorge de Frutos near the penalty spot and slotted into the net.
Inaki Williams almost equalised two minutes later with Athletic’s first chance, but his long-range effort was kept out by Daniel Cardenas, before he squandered the hosts’ best opportunity of the first half with a header from Iker Muniain’s corner.
Levante were indebted to goalkeeper Cardenas as Athletic applied pressure straight after the break, first saving Raul Garcia’s diving header and then keeping out a low shot from Williams.
But Athletic deserved their equaliser as Muniain’s outswinging delivery was met by Martinez, who escaped his marker and powerfully headed beyond Cardenas.
Only a superb block by Oscar Duarte denied Alex Berenguer and there was a final chance as another Muniain corner caused panic in the Levante box in the fourth minute of injury time, but Yeray Alvarez could not generate sufficient power with his header and Cardenas gathered.
About The Author
