Athletic Club was unable to do much to continue Copa del Rey’s run after losing 2-3 to Osasuna on Thursday in a challenging last-16 game, Osasuna snatched the win by capitalizing on the defensive error by Athletic Club.
Athletic fought very hard for a win despite falling 0-2 behind but the efforts proved insufficient. Nico Williams successfully converted a cross from his brother Iñaki into a goal before the end of the first half.
Yeray Álvarez, who came in as a substitute, bolstered the defense when the second half started, and Óscar de Marcos found the net to equalize after a thunderous strike.
The Lions did not give up as they continued to push for a win by creating many opportunities but Ante Budimir punished a parry that came from Julen Agirrezabala to earn the visitor’s third goal in the 70th minute.
Athletic Club pushed for a late equalizer, but they were hampered by an injury delay for Sergio Herrera, Osasuna’s goalkeeper. Despite the disappointment, the team still has the opportunity to do better in La Liga and Europa League campaigns.
The loss also put an end to Athletic Club’s incredible five consecutive Copa del Rey semi-final appearances.
