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BILBAO, Spain: Athletic Bilbao thumped Atletico Madrid 3-0 in La Liga on a miserable Saturday afternoon for Diego Simeone\u2019s side.<\/p>\n
Nico Williams, Robert Navarro and Oihan Sancet\u2019s goals gave the Basque hosts a resounding victory at their San Mames stadium.<\/p>\n
Elsewhere promoted side Deportivo La Coruna earned an exciting 3-2 win at Villarreal to climb provisionally fourth.<\/p>\n
Athletic secured back-to-back wins under former Borussia Dortmund coach Edin Terzic, after losing their first two matches of the campaign.<\/p>\n
Simeone\u2019s Atletico fell to their first defeat of the season, putting up little fight in the second half after Athletic made the breakthrough with two quick strikes from Williams and Navarro.<\/p>\n
\u201cTheir two goals, in the blink of an eye, did us a lot of damage,\u201d Atletico\u2019s Pablo Barrios told Movistar.<\/p>\n
Atletico must pick themselves up for Wednesday\u2019s visit to face Liverpool in the Champions League at Anfield.<\/p>\n
\u201c(We had) two minutes of inattention and poor decision-making in situations we should have handled better,\u201d said Simeone. \u201cBilbao capitalised on that lapse.\u201d<\/p>\n
Striker Julian Alvarez, who tried to leave the club to join Barcelona this summer, returned as a substitute after illness in an ineffective second half appearance.<\/p>\n
The visitors had the better of the opening period, although they failed to create many clear-cut chances after an early opportunity for Lee Kang-In.<\/p>\n
The South Korean international struck a shot against the post in the third minute after the hosts were carved open.<\/p>\n
Athletic goalkeeper Unai Simon saved from Alex Baena as Atletico threatened, while Sancet came close at the other end with a blast into the side-netting.<\/p>\n
Pablo Barrios hit the post before the break for Atletico, who were sucker-punched early in the second half by Terzic\u2019s side.<\/p>\n
The Williams brothers combined for Athletic\u2019s first, with Inaki\u2019s deflected shot headed home by younger sibling Nico after 46 minutes.<\/p>\n
Navarro doubled Athletic\u2019s lead in the 48th minute, steering home after Inaki Williams played him in.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were good in the first half but the game got away from us in those (couple of) minutes,\u201d said Simeone.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe lacked in the second half everything that we had in the first.\u201d<\/p>\n
No impact for Alvarez<\/strong><\/p>\n Simeone rang the changes, including sending on want-away striker Alvarez to little effect.<\/p>\n The Argentina international struggled to get involved in the game, and produced just one shot from the edge of the box, saved comfortably by Simon.<\/p>\n Sancet wrapped up Athletic\u2019s victory in the 90th minute when he stroked home a loose ball after a blocked cross.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s always good to win games, especially at home,\u201d said Terzic.<\/p>\n \u201cToday we are happy and we are going to be very satisfied when we go to bed tonight, and then from tomorrow onwards we\u2019ll prepare everything to go for the next (game).<\/p>\n \u201cWe have six points from the last two games, but this won\u2019t help us to reach all our targets by the end of the season.\u201d<\/p>\n Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored for the fourth match running and set up two more as the former Arsenal and Barcelona striker excelled in Depor\u2019s surprise win at Villarreal.<\/p>\n Another ex-Arsenal attacker Nicolas Pepe put the hosts ahead but Luismi Cruz levelled for the Galicians before the interval.<\/p>\n Adama Traore\u2019s own goal gave Villarreal the advantage once more but Zakaria Eddahchouri and Aubameyang, 37, struck to claim Depor a superb victory.<\/p>\n Sergio Camello netted twice for Rayo Vallecano in an entertaining 3-2 win over Racing Santander.<\/p>\n On Sunday, La Liga leaders Barcelona visit Valencia looking to move clear of Real Madrid, who lost 1-0 at Real Betis on Friday, among other fixtures.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n