Live Blog: UEFA Europa League Athletic-Young Boys

By: Paul | July 30th, 2009

90+3:55: The Final whistle is blown. Athletic will go into the second leg at Wankdorf (take a moment to laugh at the name of BSC’s ground) down 0-1. I’ll be back with a wrap sometime later. Until then, leave your impressions in the comment box. Oh and I think they just interviewed Xabi Castillo in Euskara. He sounded Japanese, or something.

90+1:25ish: Munian is falling trying to dispossess some guy. It is funny to watch.

91st: 3 minutes of stoppage time.

84th: So, on what planet is a goalkeeper grabbing a player and bringing him down NOT a penalty?

82nd: Llorente is pretty open in front of goal….but the cross from the right goes over his head. Athletic win a corner that ends up being useless.

80th: Before I can finish that last sentence, Athletic have lost possession and Young Boys begin wasting some time.

79th: BSC earn a freekick in front of goal, but Iraizoz gets down and grabs it.

77th: Javi Martinez earns a yellow card for a pretty cheap foul around the midfield line.

76th: BSC Young Boys take of Regazzoni. I forget his sub’s name already.

74th: One of BSC’s players takes a dive in front of Etxeberria and is hamming it up to waste some time. Lovely.

72nd: Nothing comes of the corner.

71st: Athletic win a corner, and Etxeberria comes on for Susaeta.

68th: After getting pegged by a ball to the nuts, a BSC player wastes some time and is tended to a bit on the field. He gets a water break. I guess it’s deserved after the scrotum shot.

63rd: David Lopez delivered a beautiful ball in front of goal to Susaeta, but he’s dispossessed just before he can turn it into a shot- another golden opportunity slips away.

59th: Munian is on for Toquero

59th: I am proven right.

58th: Athletic win another freekick, but I doubt they’ll do anything

53rd: Llorente takes the penalty and it’s a lame shot that’s easily saved.

52nd: Llorente is still not Ronaldinho, but he won a corner for Athletic. Athletic win a penalty after Iraola and Javi Martinez were both fouled.

46th: Regazzoni gets a yellow while in the box for BSC.

We’re back- David Lopez is on for Yeste. BSC kick off.

HALFTIME: Young Boys lead 1-0. Athletic need to find a way through this BSC defense which has looked pretty feisty. The good news is that Athletic may have a chance- they have had more possession, more chances, and the one goal that Young Boys scored was very lucky. It wouldn’t hurt if someone tells Llorente that he is not Ronaldinho.

46th: 1 minute of stoppage time will be played.

44th: Llorente proves that he is no Ronaldinho circa 2006 by attempting to dance through the center of the BSC defense. He is dispossessed.

40th: Yeste was just shown a yellow, but I’m not sure why because I don’t speak Spanish. Athletic have to re-do the freekick and it’s saved by the keeper…quite a nice save, actually.

38th: We just can’t seem to hang on to possession today. Every time the team shows some promise, they get dispossessed down the wing. Story of the game so far for Los Leones.

32nd: Why are Athletic wearing their away jerseys at home, especially against a team who wears yellow and black?

31st: Athletic counter-attacked, but were eventually dispossessed in the box.

30th: Young Boys had a nice attack, but Iraizoz saved the shot from his right side and Castillo denied BSC the rebound.

23rd (GOAL- BSC): Young Boys counter-attack after a promising attack by Athletic. Iraizoz saves the first shot, but another BSC player is nearby to head it around Iraizoz, who was still recovering from the save.

21st: Nevermind.

19th: I am going for a smoke break- hopefully I don’t miss anything!

16th: Degen fouls Susaeta just to the right of the box and is shown a yellow. Athletic win the freekick, but are unable to create a goal on that one.

15th: Ok, so this is like the 4th (?) foul Young boys have committed in the past 5 minutes. Freekick, but it’s indirect so I don’t expect much here.

11th: Athletic are threatening. There has been a corner and a couple free kicks in the last couple minutes. Young Boys haven’t gotten the ball to our end of the field for a little while now.

Alright- the game has begun! I missed the first couple minutes because of issues with the stream, but I don’t think I missed much.

So we’re about half an hour away from game time and I’ll be around throughout. Live streams of the game can be found on ETB’s page.