Depor tops Athletic Bilbao, continues push to avoid relegation

IANS  |  Bilbao (Spain) 

Deportivo La Coruña got a key win in its bid to avoid relegation, topping host Athletic 3-2 in Spanish football league action at San Mames.

Depor went ahead 2-0 on two early goals by Adrian Lopez, both on plays that began with crosses off the foot of on Saturday, reports

pulled one back for Athletic shortly after the start of the second half on a header off a corner kick by Markel Susaeta, but Deportivo's stretched the lead back to two when he scored on yet another Perez cross.

The final goal came on a corner kick by Susaeta that went into the goal without being touched by a from either side.

Depor now has 26 points after its second straight win.

Although it is in third-to-last place in and still in the relegation zone, the club is now just five points behind Levante, which has a difficult away match versus Atletico Madrid on Sunday.

For Athletic (39 points), the loss makes its chances of securing a spot in next season even more remote.

The two teams currently on course for a berth in the 2018-2019 - Real Betis and Villarreal - have 52 points and 48 points, respectively, with six games remaining in the current campaign.--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Sun, April 15 2018. 12:08 IST