athletic bilbao - online sports 

TIKO THE HERO FOR BILBAO

Athletic went into the soccer game second-bottom, two points behind their opponents, but Tiko's winner sent them above Cadiz and up to 16th in the Primera Liga table.

The win sets up what promises to be an intriguing relegation scrap as only three points separate second-bottom Cadiz and 14th-placed Real Sociedad with 11 games remaining.

In the build-up to the game, Athletic midfielder Andoni Iraola had called for his team-mates to be patient as he expected the visitors to play for a draw.

And they proved in this tornament to be wise words as although the hosts spent most of the game with 10 men, they still produced the bulk of the chances and were not rewarded until Tiko's stoppage-time spot-kick.

The soccer player Fernando Amorebieta was the man to make way for Athletic, managing to pick up two yellow cards inside 16 minutes, and those were the only moments of note in a slow start.

But the game picked up after the half-hour mark, with Athletic striker Aritz Aduritz heading wide from Fran Yeste's corner, while Pablo Orbaiz fired a free-kick narrowly wide.