Iñaki Williams: “For nights like this they made me join Athletic” | Soccer | Sports

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Inflamed, San Mamés attended an exercise of supine practicality that granted Athletic its sixth Copa del Rey final in the last 15 years, three in the last five including the one on April 6 against Mallorca. The Williams brothers, with a goal each, punished Atlético’s defensive weakness, melting down on two of the three occasions that Ernesto Valverde’s team stepped into Oblak’s area in the first half. Iñaki spliced ​​without any marking a tempered thread from his free brother to which Mario Hermoso turned his face. The youngest of the Williamses pushed a cross behind his brother into Savic’s face after he portrayed Hermoso. Guruzeta, with half an hour left, certified the weakness in defense of Simeone’s players, without tense marks and already sunk to activate before Oblak’s centered clearance that the Athletic striker finished off.

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Julen Agirrezabala, Aitor Paredes, De Marcos (Yeray, min. 89), Lekue, Daniel Vivian, O. Sancet (Unai Gómez, min. 80), Benat Prados, Ruiz de Galarreta (Dani García, min. 68), Nico Williams , Williams (Berenguer, min. 80) and Guruzeta (Raúl García, min. 89)

0

Oblak, Witsel, Savic, Mario Hermoso (Reinildo Mandava, min. 53), Nahuel Molina (Pablo Barrios Rivas, min. 53), Samuel Lino (Rodrigo Riquelme, min. 72), Koke (Saúl, min. 65), De Paul, Marcos Llorente, Morata and Correa (Depay, min. 53)

Goals 1-0 min. 12: Williams. 2-0 min. 42: Nico Williams. 3-0 min. 61: Guruzeta.

Referee Juan Martínez Munuera

Yellow cards Mario Hermoso (min. 28), Ruiz de Galarreta (min. 39), Muniain (min. 47), Lekue (min. 66) and De Marcos (min. 74)

“They started very well and until we shook off their dominance with the goal, which calmed us down, we suffered. Then we grew and scored the second goal. In the second half we started very well and the third time hurt them,” said Ernesto Valverde. “At the moment we are not thinking about the final, we are just in it. We will have time to prepare it. It is a tremendous illusion, winning a title. Just like Mallorca has it. If you have to beat Atlético you have to play a great game. They have blamed the blow of the third goal, because with the second they were still insisting. Iñaki is a guarantee, not only because he scores goals, because of what he produces around him and his energy,” continued the Extremadura coach.

Striker Iñaki Williams celebrates his goal against Atlético de Madrid. Luis Tejido (EFE)

“For things like this they made me join Athletic, it is a pride to defend this club. Nico and I have fought to have things like tonight, in last year’s semi-final we suffered a lot. I’m really enjoying it, Guruzeta and Sancet are doing well for me,” said Iñaki Williams. His little brother appeared euphoric before the Movistar buses. Now a few beers in the locker room, and then to Pasajes, to celebrate with the family. The fans deserved it, the coach has hit the right note, thanks to him I have improved, I hope we can take the barge out and get into Europe.”

Simeone’s face on the sideline was that of a defeated coach, witness to a string of defensive blunders that in ten minutes ruined his team’s good start. At his appearance, he was a sorry man, with a downcast tone of voice. “We started well, we interpreted what we wanted to do, but the first time they scored and the second time they scored a goal. They are those details that seem small, but are huge. From the second goal onwards, they were better. In the qualifying rounds you have to be forceful, in the first leg we didn’t have it, today we started well, but we couldn’t find the goal,” lamented Simeone.

“Today we were not up to par, in the first leg we deserved more and it couldn’t be, in this one nothing happened and on two occasions they scored a goal against us and that’s very difficult,” Koke concluded.