Thursday, 16 February 2012

Brave Athletic defeated in Moscow


Athletic Bilbao travelled to Moscow on Thursday night in the last 32 of the Europa League for what looked to be a very even game against Lokomotiv Moscow.

The Russian team are currently on its annual winter break, so Lokomotiv lacked a little match sharpness.

Athletic Bilbao, meanwhile, came into the game on the back of an excellent series of results in recent months. They have lost just twice since the 17th of December, with one of those defeats coming at the hands of runaway league leaders Real Madrid.

The other, though came just last week, and Bilbao will hope to use Thursday's game to return to winning ways as soon as possible.

The game was moved from the Russian side's Lokomotiv Stadium to the Luzhniki Stadium, which has an artificial pitch that should be playable in any weather.

Felipe Caicedo's half-volley gave Lokomotiv a 2-1 comeback victory over Athletic Bilbao in the first leg of their Europa League tie on Thursday.
The Ecuadorian's winner came on 73 minutes, calmly placing the ball into the corner from 16 yards out after bringing down a tricky cross from the left.

Lokomotiv were comprehensively outplayed in a first half blighted by heavy snow, but the advantage swung the other way when the weather let up in the second half.

Athletic's 19-year-old striker Iker Muniain opened the scoring on 36 minutes, firing into the corner after Markel Susaeta drifted in from the right flank and beat two players to supply the assist.

Russia international Denis Glushakov equalized from the penalty spot in the second half after Caicedo was felled by Bilbao's Jon Aurtenetxe.

The second leg will be played at Athletic's San Mames stadium next Thursday (February 23rd).

The winner over the two legs will face another tough test in the round of 16 - they will take on either Manchester United or Ajax.

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