Bilbao beats Osasuna to ease pressure on Bielsa
Source: Agencies |
October 19, 2011, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
ATHLETIC Bilbao continued its fledgling revival after a poor start to the campaign when Iker Muniain, Igor Gabilondo and Javi Martinez struck in a 3-1 La Liga win at home to 10-man Osasuna on Monday.
Bilbao's new Argentine coach Marcelo Bielsa had been under pressure after the Basque club took only two points from its opening five games but a second consecutive win lifts it to 11th on eight points from seven matches. Osasuna stayed 15th on seven points.
Bielsa displayed his usual hyperactive behavior as he shouted instructions and made elaborate gestures at his players in between periods crouching on his haunches on the touchline.
Spain under-21 international Muniain put the home side ahead on the half hour at its imposing San Mames Stadium in Bilbao, before Gabilondo and Martinez made it 3-0 before the break.
Osasuna's Iran midfielder Javad Nekounam pulled a goal back from the penalty spot in the first minute of second-half stoppage time after Martinez handled the ball in the area.
The Pamplona-based club finished the match a man down after its Ivory Coast-born midfielder Roland Lamah earned two yellow cards in the space of seven second-half minutes.
The second came with around 20 minutes left after he appeared to catch Muniain on the side of the head with a flailing arm.
In weekend action, La Liga top scorer Lionel Messi netted his ninth and 10th goals of the campaign in a 3-0 win for Barcelona at home to Racing Santander on Saturday.
The champion was joined at the top on 17 points by surprise package Levante. The tiny Valencia-based club extended its remarkable early-season run with a 3-0 win at home to 10-man Malaga on Sunday.
The pair have a one-point advantage over third-placed Real Madrid, which thumped Real Betis 4-1 on Saturday thanks to a third hat-trick in two weeks from Messi's Argentina teammate Gonzalo Higuain.
Bilbao's new Argentine coach Marcelo Bielsa had been under pressure after the Basque club took only two points from its opening five games but a second consecutive win lifts it to 11th on eight points from seven matches. Osasuna stayed 15th on seven points.
Bielsa displayed his usual hyperactive behavior as he shouted instructions and made elaborate gestures at his players in between periods crouching on his haunches on the touchline.
Spain under-21 international Muniain put the home side ahead on the half hour at its imposing San Mames Stadium in Bilbao, before Gabilondo and Martinez made it 3-0 before the break.
Osasuna's Iran midfielder Javad Nekounam pulled a goal back from the penalty spot in the first minute of second-half stoppage time after Martinez handled the ball in the area.
The Pamplona-based club finished the match a man down after its Ivory Coast-born midfielder Roland Lamah earned two yellow cards in the space of seven second-half minutes.
The second came with around 20 minutes left after he appeared to catch Muniain on the side of the head with a flailing arm.
In weekend action, La Liga top scorer Lionel Messi netted his ninth and 10th goals of the campaign in a 3-0 win for Barcelona at home to Racing Santander on Saturday.
The champion was joined at the top on 17 points by surprise package Levante. The tiny Valencia-based club extended its remarkable early-season run with a 3-0 win at home to 10-man Malaga on Sunday.
The pair have a one-point advantage over third-placed Real Madrid, which thumped Real Betis 4-1 on Saturday thanks to a third hat-trick in two weeks from Messi's Argentina teammate Gonzalo Higuain.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
