Athletic Bilbao Rallies For 3-2 Win Over Villarreal in Copa Del Rey
Villarreal will be without defender Mario Gaspar for next week's Copa del Rey return leg against Athletic Bilbao after he was sent off for a second booking with three minutes to play on Wednesday.
Athletic Bilbao scored three times in the second half on Wednesday to erase a two-goal deficit and beat Villarreal 3-2 in the first leg of the round of 16 in the Copa del Rey. (Court Dismisses Real Madrid Appeal Against Copa del Rey Ban)
Villarreal scored twice on counterattacks, finished off by Leo Baptistao and Samuel Garcia, to build their halftime lead at Bilbao's San Mames Stadium. (Athletic Bilbao Thrash Barcelona 4-0)
But Benat Etxebarria set up Inaki Williams to pull one back in the 53rd before striker Aritz Aduriz soon levelled the score in the 67th.
Defender Aymeric Laporte completed the comeback when he slid to stab home Etxebarria's free kick in the 81st.
Villarreal will be without defender Mario Gaspar for next week's return leg after he was sent off with a second quick booking with three minutes to play.