Copa del Rey: Berchiche strike takes Athletic Bilbao into final
Berchiche scored with a low drive in the 81st minute after being set up by Mikel Vesga to secure his team a spot in the April 18 finale against Real Sociedad.
Berchiche scored with a low drive in the 81st minute after being set up by Mikel Vesga to secure his team a spot in the April 18 finale against Real Sociedad.
Berchiche scored with a low drive in the 81st minute after being set up by Mikel Vesga to secure his team a spot in the April 18 finale against Real Sociedad.
Madrid: A goal nine minutes from time by defender Yuri Berchiche took Athletic Bilbao into an all-Basque Copa del Rey final against Real Sociedad on Thursday when they edged Granada on away goals.
Bilbao had led 1-0 from the first leg of the semifinal but fellow La Liga side Granada levelled the tie on the night through Carlos Fernandez in the 48th minute with a fine header from a cross by Venezuelan Darwin Machis.
Granada, in their first semifinal since 1969, then took a 2-1 overall lead thanks to a goal from German Sanchez after 76 minutes, again with Machis the provider from a corner.
However, their hopes of making the final were dashed when left-back Berchiche scored with a low drive in the 81st minute after being set up by Mikel Vesga to secure his team a spot in the April 18 finale in Seville.
With 23 titles, Bilbao are second on the all-time list of Copa del Rey winners behind Barcelona who have triumphed 30 times.
Real Sociedad ended the hopes of second division Mirandes on Wednesday with a 1-0 win which moved them into the final for the first time in 32 years.