MADRID: Athletic Bilbao beat second-division club Tenerife 4-2 on penalties on Tuesday to reach the Copa del Rey quarter-finals after playing nearly the entire game with 10 men.

The game ended 2-2 after 90 minutes and 3-3 after extra time, with Athletic coming from behind three times. Their final equaliser came two minutes from the end of extra time with a low shot from outside the area by left-back Yuri Berchiche.

Athletic played a man down from the second minute after goalkeeper Iago Herrern was sent off for a tackle outside the area on American defender Shaq Moore, who then missed one of the penalties for the hosts in the shootout when he hit the crossbar.

“The team never lost faith despite the adversities,” Athletic coach Gaizka Garitano said. “The players fought until the end. They never gave up.”

Tenerife also went down to 10 men four minutes into extra time after captain Carlos Ruiz was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Iaki Williams.

Joselu Moreno, who scored Tenerife’s first two goals in the first half, also missed his spot-kick in the shootout. His shot was saved by substitute Athletic goalkeeper Jokin Ezkieta, who was making his first-team debut.

Dani Gomz had put Tenerife ahead before the break in extra time, while Williams twice pulled Athletic from behind in regulation.

It was William’s first game since being subjected to racist insults from Espanyol fans in the Spanish league last weekend. Nearly the entire crowd gave the player an ovation when the game reached the ninth minute, the number of William’s jersey.

Moreno’s first goal came from a penalty awarded after video review for a handball by Williams.

Tenerife are 18th in the 22-team second-division standings, one point above the relegation zone after 25 matches.

The team from the Balearic Islands were trying to make it to the Copa quarter-finals for the first time since 1995-96.

Athletic are ninth in the first division. They also needed a penalty shootout when they eliminated second-division club Elche in the round of 32 of the Copa.

Eight first-division teams have been eliminated in the last 32: Atltico Madrid, Real Betis, Eibar, Celta Vigo, Valladolid, Espanyol, Levante and Mallorca.

The Copa is being played in single-elimination games this season, with the exception of the semi-finals.

Published in Dawn, January 30th, 2020