Leganes 0-2 Athletic Bilbao: Vivian and Williams fire Athletic to victory

Athletic Club achieved consecutive away victories in LaLiga for the first time since April 2023, securing a 2-0 win against Leganes with two goals scored in the final 24 minutes of the match.

The initial 20 minutes saw both teams' defenses performing strongly, with neither side willing to concede early opportunities, a reflection of their recent struggles to maintain clean sheets in their last two LaLiga fixtures.

As the match progressed, Athletic Club began to pose a threat, with Yuri Berchiche making a notable advance into the Leganes penalty area, delivering a cross-cum-shot that traversed the goal mouth.

Shortly thereafter, Leganes countered swiftly, nearly breaking their three-match goal drought. Miguel de la Fuente managed to evade the Athletic defense, forcing goalkeeper Julen Agirre­zabala into a remarkable save, who then quickly recovered to deny Sebastien Haller’s subsequent attempt.

The first half concluded with a tense atmosphere as Alvaro Djalo’s ambitious dipping shot was expertly monitored by Juan Soriano, ensuring the score remained level at halftime.

Leganes emerged from the break with increased offensive vigor and nearly took the lead when Dani Vivian’s poorly timed clearance from de la Fuente’s cross struck the post.

This near miss ignited the match, and Vivian soon found the woodwork again with an overhead kick that sailed over Soriano, grazing the Leganés crossbar.

The central defender continued to be pivotal moments later, seizing a loose ball in the Leganes area and sending a deflected volley into the net, marking his first LaLiga goal in over two years.

Just as the visitors began to celebrate, Haller appeared to have equalized with a powerful header, only for it to be disallowed due to offside.

In due course, Athletic Club secured the victory with a second goal from substitute Inaki Williams, who finished from Andoni Gorosabel’s low cross.

Following a streak of four consecutive away losses, Athletic managed to secure a victory against Las Palmas last weekend, indicating a potential turnaround in their away form with back-to-back wins and five goals scored. These results have propelled Ernesto Valverde’s team into the top five of LaLiga.

On the other hand, Leganes, after beginning their return to Spain’s top division with three matches without defeat, have faced a series of setbacks that have brought them back down to earth. Their ongoing struggle to find the back of the net will likely leave manager Borja Jimenez searching for immediate remedies.