Did Athletic Bilbao and Betis Make It to Copa del Rey Last 16?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Athletic Bilbao and Betis advance to the Copa del Rey last 16.
- Getafe faces an unexpected exit from the tournament.
- Mikel Jauregizar and Cucho Hernandez were instrumental in their teams' victories.
- Heavy rain affected match conditions, especially for Ourense.
- Eliminations included several notable top-flight teams.
Madrid, Dec 19 (NationPress) Athletic Bilbao and Betis advanced to the last 16 of the Copa del Rey following challenging away matches, while Getafe became the latest casualty among top-flight teams in a series of shocking results.
Athletic Bilbao required extra time to overcome the third-tier side Ourense, with Mikel Jauregizar clinching victory with a well-placed volley in the 107th minute. Ourense, having eliminated Oviedo and Girona earlier, proved to be a tough opponent on a waterlogged pitch affected by heavy rain.
Betis also faced a tough away challenge against third-tier Real Murcia, securing a 2-0 victory thanks to Cucho Hernandez's penalty and an own goal from Diego Piñeiro in the 85th minute.
Cucho Hernandez opened the scoring for the Verdiblancos in the first half from the penalty spot, while Piñeiro's own goal in the final moments confirmed the win.
Meanwhile, Getafe started strong against Burgos, taking an early lead in the 32nd minute through Alex Sancris after a corner. However, Burgos equalized just before halftime via a penalty from David Gonzalez.
After the break, Inigo Cordoba scored twice, managing to exploit gaps in the Getafe defense and putting Burgos ahead at 3-1. Getafe had a chance to claw back a goal, but Borja Mayoral missed a penalty, as reported by Xinhua.
FC Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, and Real Madrid also moved forward to the last 16, while notable top-flight teams such as Celta Vigo, Mallorca, Levante, Villarreal, and Sevilla faced elimination in this round.
Real Madrid narrowly progressed to the fourth round of the Copa del Rey with a tense 3-2 away victory over third-tier Talavera.
Atletico Madrid made it to the last 16 despite coach Diego Simeone rotating his squad, winning 3-2 against third-tier Atletico Baleares.
Rayo Vallecano is set to play its match against Granada on January 6 after securing a 3-0 victory over Drita Gjilan in the Conference League on Thursday.