Athletic Club vs Barcelona: A Tale of Two Halves

In a captivating encounter at the King Abdullah Sports City stadium, Athletic Club and Barcelona played out a thrilling semifinal clash in the Spanish Super Cup. The match unfolded as a tale of two halves, with each team dominating one period of play, but ultimately, it was Barcelona who emerged victorious with a 3-2 scoreline to reach the final.

The first half belonged to Athletic Club. Playing with intensity and passion, they pressed high up the pitch and restricted Barcelona's usually fluid attack. Athletic's relentless pressing paid dividends in the 12th minute when a misplaced pass from Barcelona's Sergio Busquets was intercepted by Inaki Williams. The forward drove into the box and fired a low shot past Marc-Andre ter Stegen, giving the Basque side an early lead.

Emboldened by their advantage, Athletic Club continued to press forward and created several chances to extend their lead. Nico Williams, Inaki's brother, was a constant threat on the right flank, while Oihan Sancet and Mikel Vesga controlled the midfield battle. Barcelona, on the other hand, struggled to gain a foothold in the game. They were unable to find their usual rhythm and were often caught out by Athletic's aggressive pressing.

However, the second half was a completely different story. Barcelona came out with renewed determination and began to dominate possession. Xavi's halftime adjustments worked wonders as the Catalan giants started to move the ball with more purpose and precision. In the 55th minute, Robert Lewandowski equalized for Barcelona with a clinical finish on a cross from Jordi Alba.

The goal seemed to energize Barcelona, and they continued to press for the winning goal. In the 68th minute, their efforts were rewarded when Ousmane Dembélé's cross was headed home by Pedri. Barcelona were now in control of the match, and they extended their lead in the 82nd minute through a stunning free-kick from Ansu Fati.

Despite conceding three goals, Athletic Club fought valiantly until the end, and they pulled one back in the 89th minute through a penalty from Oihan Sancet. However, it was too little, too late as Barcelona held on to claim a hard-fought victory and book their place in the final of the Spanish Super Cup.

"It was a tough game, but we showed great character to come back in the second half," said Barcelona coach Xavi after the match. "We knew that Athletic would be tough to break down, but we stuck to our plan and eventually got the goals we needed."

"We're disappointed with the result, but we can't take anything away from Barcelona," said Athletic Club coach Ernesto Valverde. "They're a great team, and they showed their quality in the second half."

Barcelona will now face Real Madrid in the final of the Spanish Super Cup, while Athletic Club will play Real Betis in the third-place match.