Football news - Injury-time Williams winner sees Athletic Bilbao through against Barcelona

ByGraham Ruthven

Updated 06/02/2020 at 22:19 GMT

Copa del Rey quarter-final, San Mames: Athletic Bilbao 1 (Williams 90'+3) Barcelona 0

Inaki Williams celebrates his goal during the Spanish Copa del Rey (King's Cup) quarter-final football match Athletic Club Bilbao against FC Barcelona at the San Mames stadium in Bilbao on February 06, 2020.

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Inaki Williams scored a stoppage-time winner to send Athletic Club into the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey at the expense of defending champions Barcelona.

Quique Setien’s side kicked off at San Mames having just seen rivals Real Madrid crash out of the competition, suffering a 4-3 home defeat to Real Sociedad, and so the incentive to progress to the semi-finals couldn’t have been greater.

However, the Catalans struggled to find their groove as Athletic Club turned this match into something of a slog, matching the visitors for intensity and tempo. Williams found the net after just nine minutes, only for the offside flag to come to Barca’s rescue. That should have been a warning.

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That warning wasn’t heeded, though, as Barcelona wasted golden opportunities through Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann before Williams flicked on a delivery into the box in stoppage time to snatch the semi final place for the hosts. They will join Granada, Mirandes and Real Sociedad in Friday’s draw.

Ansu Fati of FC Barcelona (R) being followed by Dani Garcia of Athletic Club (L) during the Copa del Rey quarter final match between Athletic Bilbao and FC Barcelona at Estadio de San Mames on February 06, 2020 in Bilbao, Spain.

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TALKING POINT

A crazy night in the Copa del Rey means a Basque final is on the cards. The quarter-finals of this season’s Copa del Rey were ripe for upsets. Not one of the four ties went the way of the odds, with Athletic Club, Granada, Mirandes and Real Sociedad all pulling off upsets. Given this trend it might be foolish to predict anything from this point on, but the pieces are falling into place for a final between the two Basque rivals, Athletic and La Real. What a spectacle that would be.

MAN OF THE MATCH

Inaki Williams (Athletic Club). The 25-year-old struck the decisive blow in stoppage time, sending Athletic Club into the Copa del Rey semi finals, but Williams had been a thorn in Barcelona’s side all night long and the player most likely to make something happen for the hosts. Gerard Pique and Clement Lenglet both struggled to deal with the forward’s pace. He could have done even more damage had he shown more composure in front of goal.

Unai Nunez of Athletic Club (L) and Mikel Vesga of Athletic Club (R) competes for the ball with Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona (C) during the Copa del Rey quarter final match between Athletic Bilbao and FC Barcelona at Estadio de San Mames on February 06, 2

Image credit: Getty Images

PLAYER RATINGS

Athletic Club - Simon 7, Capa 7, Yeray 7, Nunez 8, Martinez 7, Berchiche 6, Raul Garcia 6, Dani Garcia 6, Vesga 5, Muniain 5, Williams 8. Subs - San Jose 5, Gomez 5, Aduriz 6.

Barcelona - Ter Stegen 5, Semedo 6, Pique 5, Lenglet 6, Alba 5, Busquets 5, de Jong 4, Rakitic 5, Roberto 6, Messi 6, Ansu 5. Subs - Griezmann 6, Umtiti 5, Arthur 5.

KEY MOMENTS

9’ GOOOOOOOOOOO... NO! For a moment it seemed that Williams has put Athletic Club ahead from a corner kick, turning home a flick on at the back post, but the linesman's flag is up for offside. Correct call!

30’ Ter Stegen gets away with one! What a gaffe that was from the Barcelona goalkeeper, passing the ball straight to Vesga, but the Athletic Club man lashes his shot wide of the target. That could have been the opener!

65’ Off the post but it's offside! Barcelona strike the woodwork, but the flag was up for offside. Indeed, replays show that Griezmann was beyond the last defender from the freekick. Correct decision.

69’ Griezmann HAS to score that! What a chance for Barcelona to take the lead! Roberto got in behind down the right and square for Griezmann, but the French attacker saw his tame shot saved by the legs of Simon!

80’ Pique's injured! Barcelona are going to be forced into a change here. Pique has hit the ground and Umtiti is getting ready to come on for the final 10 minutes. That's a blow to the Catalans.

88’ That was the big moment! Messi was clean through, he was surely favourite to find the back of the net following the pass from Arthur, but Simon makes the save with his legs! What a save from the goalkeeper at this stage of the match!

90+3’ GOAL! Athletic Club 1-0 Barcelona: It's a winner right at the death! It's Williams! Athletic Club have surely won this! He got his head to a cross into the box and glanced the ball into the far corner of Ter Stegen's net! Barcelona's players have slumped to the ground! They know that this is likely the winner!