Athletic Club won by a tight 1-2 against a heroic UE Rubí, in a match in which the humble Catalan team stood up to a second King of Cups without memory.
Ernesto Valverde's men took to the artificial green with the aim of capturing the great difference in category, up to five, over a modest but historic rival in Catalan football. This is how, in their first contact with the ball, the Bilbao team warned about the rival goal on a double occasion that ran into a decisive Rafa Leva, Rubí's veteran goalkeeper who, at 42 years old, that night dressed in protagonist.
The saves by the Valles goalkeeper were the prelude to the Biscayan monologue, however, the Catalans knew how to hold on to their rival's monopoly on the ball without being daring, and even had the opportunity to worry Agirrezabala's goal on a couple of futile occasions.
In the tone of what was expected, the team led by Jordi Peris gathered a large number of men in their own area, containing their rival momentarily. However, the 'txingurri' team tried to wear down Rubí who bit defensively, but the insistence did not bear fruit against a team entrenched on the balcony of their area.
A worthy Rubí used self-esteem to ensure a goalless first term, and Athletic's desperation went with him to the locker room. The local team returned to their old ways knowing they were alive in the game, but the Basques, with the lesson already learned, quickly made some necessary improvements.
And Valverde's scalpel worked perfectly, as if it were an equation, Bilbao saw and won, and after certain adjustments in attack that turned them into that fast and fluid team, the prize arrived. In the 50th minute, a shot by Adu Ares assisted by Raúl García opened the scoring, and just seven minutes later Ares himself scored again. The youth player took advantage of a lateral cross to pierce the Catalan net with a header, and a game that had become entrenched suddenly went downhill.
Aware that going epic was becoming an increasingly complicated option, the red-and-white Rubí wanted to say the last word in a match that he did not ignore even going down on the scoreboard, and he achieved it.
The heroic feat that represented the Vallesans' goal came from the head of Marc Rodríguez. After a cross from Masip to the penalty spot, the Catalan shot into the goal of one of the Kings of Cups, and scored his dream goal. All in all, the fighting spirit of the locals was not enough to face a giant of this competition, and despite competing face to face with an insufficient Athletic, they had to keep the good feelings of their milestone.
The pride of the Vallesans brought a smile to all the fans of a humble team, active in the Elite League, the sixth in Spanish football, who kept this day as their most precious memory. While a very poor Athletic Bilbao will have to be content with their passage to the round in a match to be forgotten in their most successful competition.
