Athletic Bilbao 3 - 1 Eibar: Athletic Bilbao topple Eibar to move above them and up to seventh in LaLiga

Posted Monday, December 05, 2016 by PA

Athletic Bilbao cruised to a 3-1 LaLiga victory over Eibar on Sunday to leapfrog their visitors in the standings.

Etxebarria Benat, Inaki Williams and Iker Muniain scored to send the hosts seventh in the table - just two points adrift of fourth place. Sergi Enrich notched a second-half consolation for Eibar.

The result was a seventh league win of the season for Ernesto Valverde's side, and ended Eibar's three-match winning run.

Anaitz Arbilla, Sabin and Adrian were all off target for Eibar before the home team took the lead just three minutes before half-time when Benat curled in his first goal of the season from a free-kick.

Eibar searched for the equaliser after the break and Enrich headed Antonio Luna's cross wide after 51 minutes before Athletic's Sabin directed his own header off target two minutes later.

But the hosts doubled their lead on 55 minutes when Williams fired into the bottom corner after being set up by Sabin.

Athletic goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga saved Takashi Inui's shot soon after and the visitors gave themselves a lifeline with 20 minutes left when Inui turned provider for Enrich to head in his sixth goal of the campaign from close range.

Eibar pushed for an equaliser and Inui was again denied by Arrizabalaga with eight minutes left, but Muniain ended any hopes of a revival when he fired in from inside the area in stoppage time.