Alaves vs Athletic Bilbao
The Mendizorrotza stadium crackled with intensity on Saturday as Deportivo Alaves and Athletic Club renewed their local rivalry in a high-stakes encounter. It was a contest where tactical discipline met raw emotion, keeping the 19,123 fans in attendance on the edge of their seats throughout the afternoon.
Early Fireworks and VAR Intervention
On this May 2, 2026, the La Liga clash wasted little time in delivering high-octane football. Just eight minutes into the match, the home side drew first blood through a moment of individual brilliance. Antonio Blanco latched onto a precise ball from Angel Perez and unleashed a right-footed strike that flew into the net, a goal already being touted as a contender for the season's best. Alaves continued to look dangerous throughout the first half, though the game was also marked by physical play, with Antonio Martinez seeing yellow for a heavy challenge. The defining moment of the opening period came just before the whistle when a penalty was awarded to the hosts for an Alejandro Rego foul. However, after a lengthy VAR review, the referee revoked the decision, leaving the home side frustrated as they headed into the tunnel.
The Pendulum Swings in a Wild Second Half
The complexion of the sports spectacle changed immediately after the restart as Athletic Club manager Ernesto Valverde made a triple substitution, introducing Robert Navarro, Oihan Sancet, and Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta. The impact was instantaneous. In the 46th minute, Nico Williams turned provider, finding Robert Navarro who slotted home a left-footed equalizer to silence the home crowd. However, the player rotations from Alaves also bore fruit. In the 68th minute, Abderrahman Rebbach whipped in a corner that found Nahuel Tenaglia, who restored the lead for the hosts with a clinical finish. The lead was short-lived, as Yuri Berchiche combined with Oihan Sancet in the 74th minute, with the latter firing home a right-footed shot to level the scores once more in this pulsating second half.
Nico Williams Seizes the Momentum
As the match entered its final ten minutes, the sheer quality of the Athletic Club attack began to overwhelm the Alaves defense. The momentum shifted decisively when Gorka Guruzeta took control of the creative duties in the final third. In the 83rd minute, Guruzeta found Nico Williams, who expertly guided the ball home with his right foot to give the visitors their first lead of the day. Despite a flurry of yellow cards for dissent and tactical fouls—including cautions for Mikel Jauregizar and Nico Williams himself—the visitors remained composed.
In the 87th minute, the same duo combined again to put any hopes of a comeback to rest. Guruzeta provided his second assist of the evening for Nico Williams, who this time used his left foot to secure a brace and make it 4-2. Alaves threw everything forward in the eight minutes of added time, with Abderrahman Rebbach and Jon Guridi creating late openings, but Unai Simon remained reliable in the Athletic Club goal to ensure the three points traveled back to Bilbao.
