The last ever European game at San Mames did not provide the best result as Athletic and Sparta Prague played a bore stalemate.
The Basque country side has already crashed out of the UEFA Europa League and manager Marcelo Bielsa hence opted to give his youngsters a rare outing in the European competition.
Sparta had already qualified for the knock-out stages of the competition and had nothing to lose at their hands. Bilbao however had to play for pride as they endured their final match of the so far dismal campaign.
Many had expected the Spanish side to be one of the favourites for the second tier European competition, as their last season heroics had led them to the final of the tournament, which they eventually lost to fellow country’s club Atletico Madrid.
The home side started well and dominated play from the beginning. However it was the already through Sparta, to whom fell the best chances of the half.
First team regular, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Iker-Muniain-c16816, was handed a start by manager Marcelo Bielsa and the talented Spanish managed to threaten the Sparta goalkeeper in the third minute. The forward’s shot whistled past the post.
Sparta’s Jiri Skalak had the opening meaningful chance of the game as he found himself one-on-one with the Spanish side’s goalkeeper. The away side’s player lost composure and shot his drive against the bar in the 18th minute of the game.
The second half also saw a number of chances created by both the sides but none converted, as Sparta’s Jiri Skalak was again at the heart of the crime.
Sparta launched a superb counter attack after Athletic’s corner was cleared and on the break, the above mentioned Sparta player again found himself in a comfortable position, with just the keeper to beat. It was again the same story, as of the first half
miss, and Skalak failed to capitalise on the opportunity as he wildly blasted the ball off the target.
Athletic pressed in search for a winner but were not to be rewarded as Moran’s 25 yarder could not find the target that was intended.
Tags: