Granada (Spain), March 6 (SocialNews.XYZ) Granada CF outscored Athletic Bilbao 2-1 to level the Copa del Rey semi-final tie at 2-2, but the visitors prevailed by virtue of the away goal to set up a showdown in the final with arch-rivals Real Sociedad.
Goals by Carlos Fernandez and German Sanchez gave the hosts a 2-0 advantage, enough to offset Athletic's 1-0 victory in the first leg in Bilbao on Thursday night, but Yuri Berchiche pulled one back in the 81st minute to ensure that the 2020 Copa del Rey will be decided by a Basque derby, reports Efe news.
Athletic are second only to Barcelona in the number of Copa del Rey titles: 23 to Barca's 30. But the Bilbao club's last triumph in the competition was in 1984.
Currently 9th and 10th, respectively, in LaLiga, Granada and Athletic played an entertaining first half with chances at both ends.
Granada's Darwin Machis tested visiting goalkeeper Unai Simon in the early going, while Simon's counterpart, Rui Silva, had to be alert to stop teammate Victor Diaz from committing an own goal.
Athletic let two other opportunities go to waste, as both Mikel San Jose and Raul Garcia missed the target from close range.
The hosts nearly took the lead in the moments before the break on a set piece, but Athletic striker Inaki Williams stopped Yangel Herrera's shot on the line with Simon out of position.
Granada broke the deadlock three minutes into the second half with a great header by Fernandez off a Machis cross.
Berchiche fired wide on a free kick before German Sanchez, Carlos Neva and Machis each came close for Granada, while Athletic's Raul Garcia headed over the cross-bar.
With 15 minutes left, German headed-in a Machis corner to put Granada up 2-0 on the night and 2-1 overall.
Yet the 20,000-plus Granada supporters in the stands at Nuevo Los Carmenes stadium saw their joy cut short five minutes later when Berchiche transformed a perfect deep ball from Mikel Vesga into a goal.
The home side pressed hard for another goal, but their one serious threat culminated in a poor shot by Machis.
Real Sociedad clinched their first Copa del Rey final in 32 years on Wednesday, defeating second-division side Mirandes 1-0 for a 3-1 aggregate win.
Source: IANS
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