Bilbao2Brooklyn
25 Sep 2004, 10:46 PM
from www.espn.com/soccer (http://www.espn.com/soccer)
Athletic Bilbao 2-1 Real Madrid: FT ReportPAMADRID, September 25 (Primera Liga) - Athletic Bilbao made sure that Real Madrid's fans and players would have another uncomfortable week after claiming a hard-earned victory on the strength of two first-half goals.
Ismael Urzaiz scored early in the game with the home side applying a lot of pressure against the Madrid rearguard and then Santiago Ezquerro fired the home side further ahead with a bullet header on the stroke of half-time.
Raul, who hasn't been in the best of form in the past year, pulled one back for Madrid after the restart but it couldn't prevent them crashing to their second league defeat in five games.
Real didn't win any silverware last season and following the removal of Carlos Queiroz as coach, hopes were high that club great Jose Antonio Camacho would return some stability.
But after being trounced by Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League and an upset by Espanyol, former Spain coach Camacho decided it was best to go.
Shortly after his Monday departure, Real Madrid were not impressive against Osasuna in midweek but thanks to another trademark free-kick by David Beckham, they were able to scrape a 1-0 win.
However, against a fired up Athletic, they were second best and came away with nothing.
The first half was almost total Bilbao dominance and they deserved their two-goal advantage as Real looked very ragged at the back.
Athletic could have scored in the sixth minute when Joseba Etxberria was left in acres of space on the right wing.
He crossed for the similarly unmarked Ezquerro by the penalty spot, but the Basque target man could only head straight at Iker Casillas.
Shortly after, Asier Del Horno broke down the left and his low cross found an unmarked Urzaiz, who, from the right-hand side of the six-yard box, side-footed home past a helpless Casillas.
In the 38th minute, Real threatened.
Luis Figo crossed from wide on the left, driving the ball low across the face of the area.
With Daniel Aranzubia in no-man's land the goal was wide open, but Ronaldo at full stretch just failed to make contact with the ball at the far post.
On the stroke of half-time, again Del Horno was given space on the left. His cross found the run of Ezquerro in the middle of the area, and this time he made no mistake, powering his header into the back of the net from 12 yards.
Within six minutes of the restart Madrid pulled one back after a clever Guti backheel found Raul on the edge of the area.
Raul struck it right footed from 25 yards beating Aranzubia to his left.
Three minutes from the end and Jonan Garcia had the chance to settle it when he latched onto Etxeberria's pass inside the area, however, with only the keeper to beat he could only put the ball wide of the far post.
The second half goal by Raul helped calm the visitors, but they lacked ideas in attack, and were easily marshalled out of the game by a well-disciplined Athletic side.
The home club kept pressing at the end and could have had more goals with Jonan, in particular, missing a couple of chances.
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Athletic Bilbao 2-1 Real Madrid: FT ReportPAMADRID, September 25 (Primera Liga) - Athletic Bilbao made sure that Real Madrid's fans and players would have another uncomfortable week after claiming a hard-earned victory on the strength of two first-half goals.
Ismael Urzaiz scored early in the game with the home side applying a lot of pressure against the Madrid rearguard and then Santiago Ezquerro fired the home side further ahead with a bullet header on the stroke of half-time.
Raul, who hasn't been in the best of form in the past year, pulled one back for Madrid after the restart but it couldn't prevent them crashing to their second league defeat in five games.
Real didn't win any silverware last season and following the removal of Carlos Queiroz as coach, hopes were high that club great Jose Antonio Camacho would return some stability.
But after being trounced by Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League and an upset by Espanyol, former Spain coach Camacho decided it was best to go.
Shortly after his Monday departure, Real Madrid were not impressive against Osasuna in midweek but thanks to another trademark free-kick by David Beckham, they were able to scrape a 1-0 win.
However, against a fired up Athletic, they were second best and came away with nothing.
The first half was almost total Bilbao dominance and they deserved their two-goal advantage as Real looked very ragged at the back.
Athletic could have scored in the sixth minute when Joseba Etxberria was left in acres of space on the right wing.
He crossed for the similarly unmarked Ezquerro by the penalty spot, but the Basque target man could only head straight at Iker Casillas.
Shortly after, Asier Del Horno broke down the left and his low cross found an unmarked Urzaiz, who, from the right-hand side of the six-yard box, side-footed home past a helpless Casillas.
In the 38th minute, Real threatened.
Luis Figo crossed from wide on the left, driving the ball low across the face of the area.
With Daniel Aranzubia in no-man's land the goal was wide open, but Ronaldo at full stretch just failed to make contact with the ball at the far post.
On the stroke of half-time, again Del Horno was given space on the left. His cross found the run of Ezquerro in the middle of the area, and this time he made no mistake, powering his header into the back of the net from 12 yards.
Within six minutes of the restart Madrid pulled one back after a clever Guti backheel found Raul on the edge of the area.
Raul struck it right footed from 25 yards beating Aranzubia to his left.
Three minutes from the end and Jonan Garcia had the chance to settle it when he latched onto Etxeberria's pass inside the area, however, with only the keeper to beat he could only put the ball wide of the far post.
The second half goal by Raul helped calm the visitors, but they lacked ideas in attack, and were easily marshalled out of the game by a well-disciplined Athletic side.
The home club kept pressing at the end and could have had more goals with Jonan, in particular, missing a couple of chances.
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