Depor tops Athletic Bilbao, continues push to avoid relegation
Bilbao (Spain), April 15 (IANS) Deportivo La Coruña got a key win in its bid to avoid relegation, topping host Athletic Bilbao 3-2 in Spanish football league action at San Mames.
Depor went ahead 2-0 on two early goals by Adrian Lopez, both on plays that began with crosses off the foot of Lucas Perez on Saturday, reports Efe.
Raul Garcia pulled one back for Athletic shortly after the start of the second half on a header off a corner kick by captain Markel Susaeta, but Deportivo’s Borja Valle stretched the lead back to two when he scored on yet another Perez cross.
The final goal came on a corner kick by Susaeta that went into the goal without being touched by a player from either side.
Depor now has 26 points after its second straight La Liga win.
Although it is in third-to-last place in La Liga and still in the relegation zone, the club is now just five points behind Levante, which has a difficult away match versus Atletico Madrid on Sunday.
For Athletic Bilbao (39 points), the loss makes its chances of securing a spot in Europe next season even more remote.
The two teams currently on course for a berth in the 2018-2019 Europa League – Real Betis and Villarreal – have 52 points and 48 points, respectively, with six games remaining in the current La Liga campaign.