Athletic Bilbao are pushing plenty of players forward, with that late goal from Gianniotas changing the script somewhat. Valverde looks positively furious on the touchline, the hosts have made things that little bit harder for themselves in the second leg now. Lekue whips in a cross, but Aduriz is beaten to it aerially.
90' +1
We're into three minutes of second-half stoppage time.
89'
G. Gianniotas has scored a goal for APOEL! Assist by I. de Camargo.
De Camargo plays a lovely ball around the corner and into the clear, allowing his teammate to do the rest.
GOOOOOOOOOOAL! GIANNIOTAS MAKES IT 3-2! What a huge goal for APOEL. The Greek winger plays a neat one-two on the edge of the box with De Camargo, before blasting a wonderful finish into the bottom-left corner of the net.
87'
Despite his side holding a two-goal lead, Valverde is still giving the fourth official a piece of his mind on the touchline. The home fans are singing their players to a good victory, with APOEL happy to approach the last few minutes with a damage limitation mentality.
85'
Raul Garcia is found at the back post, after an awful attempted save from Waterman, but the Spaniard can't sort his feet out quickly enough to fire home the rebound. Instead, he takes his time to bend a cross in towards Aduriz, but the hosts' goalscorer is caught offside.
84'
The away side look tired and can't wait for this contest to come to a close. Athletic Bilbao have stepped it up in the second half and APOEL are dangerously close to being blown out of the water. Lekue is fed to the left byline on the overlap, and finds Susaeta with a cut-back, but the substitutes' combination ends in nothing.
82'
Valverde's men are maintaining their pressure and pushing on until the very end, with the home fans calling for a fourth goal of the evening. De Marcos is picked out overlapping on the right-hand side, and tries to square a ball to Aduriz, but the right-back is caught offside.
80'
The home side are retaining the ball well in the dying stages, with Waterman still being kept busy. Muniain is picked out by a low cross from the right-hand side, but a bullet header from the Athletic Bilbao forward is pushed out of the bottom corner brilliantly by the APOEL goalkeeper.
78'
Susaeta enters the game and replaces I. Williams.
Williams is given a standing ovation for the hosts, with Susaeta introduced out on the right-hand side.
77'
Iñaki Astiz enters the game and replaces P. Sotiriou.
Astiz is introduced for the last 10 minutes or so, with Soteriou taking his leave after a frustrating night.
Yeray makes a timely clearance, as APOEL try to race forward on the break. Lekue is immediately released by Athletic Bilbao in their own counter-attack, but the substitute is denied by a covering defender. Both coaches are readying substitutes.
Minute
Description
76'
Williams works his way down the right and cuts back another good ball, after nipping beyond Yambere, but Aduriz is beaten to the delivery by Waterman! Moments later, Raul Garcia earns himself a free-kick on the right, with Benat's resulting cross from deep nodded over the crossbar by San Jose.
74'
It is all smiles in the San Mames now, with that goal from Williams settling a few nerves. Muniain wriggles his way to the edge of the penalty box, before stinging Waterman's palms with a mediocre effort that was straight down the Dutchman's throat.
73'
E. Aloneftis enters the game and replaces G. Efrem.
Efrem is replaced after a quiet second half, with Aloneftis coming into the fray.
72'
I. Williams has scored a goal for Athletic Bilbao! Assist by Raúl García.
Raul Garcia whips in a teasing cross, and Williams does the rest.
GOOOOOOOAL! WILLIAMS MAKES IT THREE! After an all-action performance down the right flank, the young wide man has his goal. Raul Garcia whips in a cross, and his teammate obliges with a header that finds its way into the back of the net.
70'
Only 20 minutes remain for APOEL to try and claw their way to another away goal, but it isn't looking likely. That De Camargo header, however, will give them some hope. Raul Garcia drives forward from midfield and bursts into space, but the ex-Atletico forward curls a left-footed effort wide of the target.
68'
Raul Garcia links up with Muniain, with a throughball from the diminutive midfielder put out for a throw-in by Milanov. Athletic Bilbao maintain their pressure with a corner on the left, but Benat's delivery bypasses everyone and flashes past Laporte at the back post.
66'
The away side need to try and rally, as this game could get beyond them quite easily. Athletic Bilbao are looking in the mood, and Iraizoz is yet to be truly tested this evening. APOEL threaten down the right, as Milanov whips in a cross, but De Camargo's looping header cannons off the post after a touch from the hosts' goalkeeper.
64'
C. Yamberé gets yellow.
Yambere picks up a cheap yellow card for a raised arm in a challenge.
63'
APOEL have defended well for long periods, but that mistake from Yambere could cost them very dearly indeed. The away side try to threaten immediately, but one attack breaks down on the edge of the box, before a second ends in Iraizoz catching a cross easily. Athletic Bilbao respond, but a cross from Williams is volleyed wide by Inaki Williams.
61'
Aduriz has scored a goal for Athletic Bilbao! Assist by Muniain.
Into the side netting from Aduriz! A corner from the right is flicked high into the air by Raul Garcia, before Yeray knocks the rebound goalwards, but the Athletic Bilbao striker can then only volley an effort on the turn wide of the target.
Muniain controls a misplaced pass from Yambere easily, before playing a good ball into the path of Aduriz.
GOOOOOOOAL! GREAT FINISH FROM ADURIZ! The experienced striker is fed a good pass into the penalty area, and slots a lovely finish just inside the right-hand post! Yambere has his head in his hands, after a terrible surrender of possession to Muniain. Athletic Bilbao take full advantage.
60'
I. de Camargo enters the game and replaces F. Bertoglio.
De Camargo is given the last half an hour to impress, with Bertoglio taking his leave after picking up a potential knock.
59'
The home side are maintaining plenty of pressure at present, with the Basque club earning themselves regular corners. APOEL, meanwhile, are yet to get into a position where they have had a chance to win a set-piece.
57'
San José enters the game and replaces Iturraspe.
Lekue enters the game and replaces Balenziaga.
Iturraspe is replaced at the base of the midfield, with San Jose slotting in for the home side. The substitute immediately forces a save out of Waterman with a weak back-post header.
Lekue replaces Balenziaga at left-back for the last half an hour or so.
56'
Aduriz opens play out to Balenziaga on the left, but the Athletic Bilbao defender is denied the chance to cross from a wide area. The hosts win a corner, which is whipped in after being taken short, but Yambere is again the player on the end of it. Valverde is readying some changes.
54'
Williams is causing all kinds of problems when carrying the ball at pace, but the Spanish winger can't seem to pick out a telling pass in the final third. The home fans are responding to a good spell of pressure from the hosts. Yet again, Yambere rises highest to nod a dangerous cross away at the near post, with Aduriz threatening to get on the end of it.
52'
G. Gianniotas gets yellow.
Gianniotas is the latest man to go into the book, with the APOEL winger sliding in late on Balenziaga.
51'
Balenziaga overlaps down the left and then tries to drill in a low cross, but Waterman is happy to watch the ball flash behind for a goal-kick. Athletic Bilbao are just lacking a little bit of cutting edge and quality in the final third. Aduriz does well to earn a corner from Yambere.
50'
Valverde's men are retaining the ball well and probing for a gap, but APOEL are defending deep and in numbers. Yambere continues to look like a useful tonic to dealing with Aduriz in the air. Christiansen has clearly told his players that more of the same will be great, as their approach hasn't changed at all since the restart.
48'
Aymeric Laporte gets yellow.
Balenziaga whips in a good cross from the left-hand side, but Aduriz is unable to get up high enough to threaten with a header, with Williams not quick enough to react to the dropping ball. The visitors try to break at pace, with Soteriou the target of a throughball, but the Cypriot was caught a considerable way offside.
Laporte picks up the first booking of the second half, which might just be something that Soteriou will seek to prey upon in the coming minutes.
46'
We are back underway in the second half at San Mames! After a first-half performance that yielded little in the way of clear-cut chances, Athletic BIlbao will be keen to get back going and rack up a scoreline worthy of how they have dominated this clash so far.
45'
Good work from Williams! The right winger goes on a powerful run beyond Ioannou and bursts into the box after briefly going to ground. His low cross from the byline threatens to cause APOEL some problems, but Milanov makes a vital clearance at the back post. Muniain had to gamble on that.
44'
Benat curls in a free-kick from deep on the right, but a looping delivery from the Spaniard is gobbled up easily by Waterman. APOEL try to settle things down with a spell of possession, but if anything it is only providing some respite for their under-fire back four.
42'
This first half has burst into action, with APOEL certainly feeling hard done by due to the fortuitous nature of the hosts' equaliser. Muniain lays a pass into Benat, who finds Balenziaga on the overlap, but the Athletic Bilbao left-back is promptly tackled. Not much quality on show in the final third tonight.
40'
Two goals in two minutes and we are back to square one in Bilbao! Benat whips in a corner from the right for the hosts, but APOEL eventually clear after some pinball in the box. Valverde will be hoping that Efrem's opener will continue to breath new life into his players.
38'
G. Merkis is unfortunate, scores an own goal!
GOOOOOOOOAL! That will go down as an own goal, but the hosts don't care. Waterman makes a great save to deny Williams, with Balenziaga first to react. The left-back tries his luck, with a deflection cannoning off Merkis, onto the underside of the crossbar and into the back of the net. The goalkeeper had no chance.
36'
G. Efrem has scored a goal for APOEL! Assist by Vinícius.
Vinicius splits the home defence with a beautiful through ball. Great invention from the Brazilian.
GOOOOOOOOAL! EFRAM MAKES IT 1-0!! Aduriz manages to flick a long ball on, by Milanov mops up ahead of Muniain. The away side break down the right, with a neat throughball then looping into the space behind Athletic Bilbao's back four. The Cypriot midfielder curls home a lovely finish to break the deadlock!
34'
Inaki Williams finds De Marcos, but a left-footed cross from the hosts' full-back is claimed well by Waterman. The home side are keeping up their pressure well. Balenziaga tries to whip in a delivery from the left, but Yambere makes a brilliant headed intervention to deny Raul Garcia from close-range.
32'
APOEL continue to fire long-range passes out of play, with Athletic Bilbao happy to lap up the loose balls and throw-ins. De Marcos is picked out by a good cross to the back post, but the hosts' right-back has a shot charged down well by Yambere. The French centre-back has been colossal at the back so far.
31'
Athletic Bilbao threaten from a corner on the right-hand side, with Waterman left a little bit exposed once again. The hosts are generating all of the dangerous chances so far at San Mames. The opening half an hour has been stacked in the hosts' favour, but still they can't seem to find anything imminently close to a breakthrough.
29'
De Marcos and Raul Garcia try to play a neat one-two down the Athletic Bilbao right, but the former gives up on a pass that he didn't think that his teammate would be good enough to play! Moments later, the same man releases Inaki Williams into the box, but after hurdling one challenge the Spaniard sees a low cross towards Aduriz blocked.
27'
Benat scoops a pass out to De Marcos on the right-hand side, but Iaoannou intervenes. The left-back, however, quickly gifts possession away. Valverde isn't looking too happy with his players, as a few misplaced passes have found their way out of play - taking the early Los Leones momentum with them.
25'
Raúl García gets yellow.
Ioannou is caught late by a sliding challenge from Raul Garcia, with the left-back writhing around in pain. That wasn't a good tackle at all, and the Spaniard goes in the book.
24'
Aduriz is getting some very rough treatment in the early stages, with the Spanish striker having some kind of back-and-forth with Merkis and Morais. APOEL threaten on the break, with Soteriou getting into the penalty box and then going down - but the referee waves play on. The Cypriot striker had got the wrong side of his man, and then went down too easily.
22'
De Marcos guides a lovely cross in from the right-hand side, but Raul Garcia can't quite stretch enough to get to the delivery ahead of Waterman. APOEL are looking very rushed in possession, with Soteriou not getting any good service at all. Nuno Morais is the latest visiting midfielder to slot a pass directly out of play.
20'
Ioannou threatens down the left, but a low cross from the APOEL full-back is cut out by Yeray at the near post. That foray forward is exactly what the visitors needed. Athletic Bilbao settle back down and stick to retaining possession. Valverde's men are in no rush at all, they look confident that they can get the job done tonight.
18'
The hosts are keeping the ball well and asking all of the questions, with APOEL rarely getting out of their own half with the ball. Soteriou is the target of a quick ball over the top, but De Marcos tucks in well to make an intercept. Los Leones respond with a quick break through Williams, but a great cross from the young winger is nodded over the bar from Muniain! He was totally unmarked.
16'
Athletic Bilbao are dominating possession in the opening minutes, with the home side committing plenty of bodies forward. Muniain plays a one-two with Raul Garcia, but the former is then penalised for tugging back Merkis as a cross is swung in from the right. All of the pressure is being exerted by Los Leones.
15'
Waterman makes a reasonable save to deny Raul Garcia! The midfielder tries to curl a cross towards the back post, but his delivery takes a wicked deflection that almost sends the APOEL goalkeeper the wrong way. After palming the initial effort high into the air, the Dutch shot-stopper gobbles up the falling rebound.
13'
G. Merkis gets yellow.
Merkis gets a yellow card for clattering into Aduriz clumsily. Deserved caution for the centre-back.
12'
APOEL look to threaten down the left-hand side, with Efrem eventually the target of a quick throughball into a dangerous area, but Yeray reads the play well and stabs an intercepted pass back to Iraizoz. The hosts continue to appear comfortable.
11'
Raul Garcia opens the ball out to Inaki Williams on the right-hand side, with Ioannou forced to concede a corner while tracking back towards his own byline. Athletic Bilbao's resulting set-piece is easily cleared, before Yambere heads away a second delivery into the area. The former Anzhi centre-back offers a really imposing physical presence in aerial battles.
9'
G. Efrem gets yellow.
Efrem gets the first booking of the evening, with the Cypriot midfielder cynically bringing down Aduriz as the Athletic Bilbao striker stepped across his path. Needless foul from the APOEL man. Laporte curls the resulting free-kick into the wall.
8'
Williams tries to burst down the right, but the pacey winger is pulled up for a handball prior to his run forward. APOEL try to play out from the back, but Soteriou controls the ball out of play, with the visitors struggling to get into this contest. They're playing very nervously indeed.
6'
Inaki Williams is played through on goal, but a covering challenge from Merkis denies the Spaniard. Moments later, a looping delivery into the APOEL box searches for Aduriz, but Waterman is off his line quickly to punch clear ahead of the experienced Athletic Bilbao striker.
5'
The hosts win a corner on the left-hand side, which Benat whips into the box. De Marcos is found in acres of space at the back post, but sees a shot blocked. Yeray meets the rebound and blasts a follow-up shot at Yambere, with Los Leones having two half-chances immediately. Christiansen's men are sat deep in response.
3'
The opening exchanges are a little untidy, with both teams giving the ball away in the early stages. Hopeful passes down the line aren't coming to much, with Athletic Bilbao keen to retain possession and settle a few nerves.
1'
We are underway in the first half in the Basque Country! Athletic Bilbao need to get a favourable result here tonight, as APOEL have looked in very good form this season. To leave for Cyprus trailing on aggregate would be a terrible situation to be in.
The hosts are unbeaten in their last 16 competitive games at the new San Mames, which poses APOEL with a tough test indeed. Of late, Los Leones' defensive record hasn't been at its best, but Aritz Aduriz has still been finding the back of the net. Similarly, the away side are in top form on their travels, and last lost on the road back in November.
Hello and welcome to live coverage of Athletic Bilbao's home leg against APOEL, as Ernesto Valverde's men look to try and take an advantage of their home comforts in the first fixture of this Europa League knock-out tie. After coasting through the group stages, both of these teams will be up for a new challenge.
TEAM NEWS: Athletic Bilbao go with their strongest side, though Kepa is still being kept out due to injury. Yeray partners Aymeric Laporte at centre-back, with Aritz Aduriz leading the line. Iker Muniain and Inaki Williams are deployed on the flanks, with Raul Garcia supporting the striker through the middle. Ander Iturraspe is preferred to Mikel San Jose in the middle of midfield.
TEAM NEWS: There is considerable Spanish influence in APOEL's squad, down to Spaniard Thomas Christiansen being in charge - but his compatriots only have a seat on the bench. Facundo Bertoglio will play in the number 10 role, in behind in-form striker Pieros Soteriou who has 15 league goals to his name already this season. Giorgis Merkis is deployed at centre-back, who hasn't had as much game time as teammates.
Athletic Bilbao starting line-up (4-2-3-1): Iraizoz; De Marcos, Laporte, Yeray, Balenziaga; Iturraspe, Benat; Inaki Williams, Raul Garcia, Muniain; Aduriz.
Athletic Bilbao substitutes: Boveda, San Jose, Susaeta, Lekue, Mikel Rico, Villalibre, Remiro.
APEOL substitutes: Lago, Artymatas, De Camargo, Barral, Astiz, Aloneftis, Pardo.
HALF-TIME! Athletic Bilbao and APOEL go in level at 1-1 at the break, courtesy of goals from Efrem and a Merkis own goal. The away side took a surprise lead on the counter, after 45 minutes that have mostly seen the hosts dominate the ball, but a lucky equaliser than cannoned off a visiting defender has given Valverde's men a reprieve.
FULL-TIME! Athletic Bilbao win 3-2 in the first leg of their Europa League knock-out tie against APOEL, but they've made things harder for themselves than they needed to be. Smash-and-grab finishes from Efrem and Gianniotas provide important away goals for the visitors, but a Merkis own goal and finishes Aduriz and Williams give Los Leones a narrow advantage before their trip to Cyprus. That's all that we have time for, we hope to see you again next time.
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