Athletic Club secured a comfortable 1-0 victory over Las Palmas at San Mamés tonight, bolstering their aspirations for UEFA Champions League qualification. The win sees the Basque side capitalize on their strong home form and extend their lead over rivals in the race for a top-five finish in LaLiga.
Just days after Las Palmas celebrated a dramatic late win against Atlético Madrid, they were brought back down to earth by a determined Athletic Club. The home side surged into an early lead in the sixth minute, courtesy of Inaki Williams. The forward displayed excellent footwork to break through the Las Palmas defense before calmly slotting the ball into the net from close range.
Despite the crucial league fixture, Athletic Club’s focus appeared to be partly on their upcoming UEFA Europa League semi-final tie. This was evident in the early substitution of influential playmaker Oihan Sancet, who was withdrawn as a precautionary measure.
Las Palmas struggled to find a cutting edge in the first half despite enjoying periods of possession. Athletic Club controlled the flow of the game and looked comfortable defending their early advantage.
The home side upped the tempo at the start of the second half and came close to doubling their lead when Alex Berenguer’s header from an inviting Oscar de Marcos cross struck the crossbar. Athletic maintained their firm grip on the match, and the introduction of talisman Nico Williams further threatened the Las Palmas goal.
Just when Las Palmas’ attack seemed increasingly isolated, substitute Adnan Januzaj almost leveled the score in spectacular fashion. Picking up the ball 25 yards out, he unleashed a stunning dipping half-volley that unfortunately for the visitors, bounced back off the crossbar.
Januzaj’s audacious effort injected fresh life into the Las Palmas attack, and they created a flurry of late chances. Jamie Mata and Marc Conda both had shots deflected away in quick succession as the away side mounted a late rally.
Ultimately, however, Athletic Club held firm to secure the 1-0 victory. The result extends their remarkable home form at San Mamés, where they have lost just once since August 2023, and increases their lead over sixth-placed Real Betis Balompie to a significant nine points. For Las Palmas, the defeat leaves them just one point above the relegation zone, with a crucial home game against Valencia on the horizon.
