Athletic Bilbao Narrowly beats Almería 1-0 with a set piece

Athletic Bilbao narrowly beat Almería 1-0 in a crucial match on Sunday afternoon, securing their first win of the season and leaving the Andalusian side reeling.

The game was played at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid, where both teams came into the contest with high hopes after recent results. Athletic Bilbao had won four matches in a row and were looking to extend their winning streak, while Almería, despite finishing second last last season, were still fighting for a top-four finish.

The match started slowly, with neither team able to find the breakthrough. However, as the half progressed, Athletic Bilbao began to gain momentum. In the 25th minute, the Basque club managed to break through the Almería defense. A corner kick from midfielder Iker Casillas found substitute forward Xabi Alonso, who headed home the equalizer for his first goal of the season.

Despite the early setback, Almería refused to go down without a fight. They continued to press aggressively and put pressure on the Athletic defense throughout the rest of the half. However, the Basque club's solid defensive play prevented any further scoring opportunities.

In the second half, Almería continued to apply pressure, but once again, the Athletic defense stood firm. The visitors tried several substitutions, but none of them seemed to create any significant chances. As the clock ticked down towards halftime, the score remained 1-0 in favor of Athletic Bilbao.

With just five minutes left, Almería made one final attempt to扳 even. But once again, the Athletic defense held firm, preventing any further goals from being scored. The referee blew the final whistle, signaling the end of the match.

Athletic Bilbao's victory was a welcome boost for the club, who now have two wins in a row and are sitting in fourth place in La Liga. The result also gave them hope of avoiding relegation, which could be a difficult task given their current standings.

Almería, on the other hand, will need to work hard if they want to avoid dropping further down the table. With only three games remaining in the season, it will be tough for the Andalusian side to catch up to the leaders.

Overall, this match was a close one, but Athletic Bilbao emerged victorious. Their performance against Almería demonstrates why they are one of the best teams in La Liga, capable of putting up a strong challenge to the top clubs.