MADRID (AP) — Osasuna pulled off yet another Copa del Rey upset by eliminating Athletic Bilbao in extra time Tuesday to reach the final for the first time in nearly two decades.
Late substitute Pablo Ibáñez scored with a volley from the edge of the area on a breakaway in the 116th minute to secure a 2-1 aggregate win that sent the Pamplona club to the final for the first time since 2005.
“I don’t have any words to describe the emotions right now,” said Ibáñez, who was 6 years old when the club last made it to the final. “We suffered like dogs, and to score that goal in the last minute is something that you can’t explain. It’s the best goal of my career and I doubt that I’ll be able to do anything better than that.”
Athletic had forced extra time at San Mamés Stadium after winning 1-0 in regulation with a goal by Iñaki Williams in the 33rd. Osasuna had won the first leg 1-0 at home.
Osasuna will play the final against either Barcelona or Real Madrid, who meet in the other semifinal at the Camp Nou Stadium on Wednesday. Barcelona can advance with a draw after winning the first leg 1-0 in Madrid.
Osasuna had eliminated defending champion Real Betis on penalties in the round of 16 and Sevilla in extra time in the quarterfinals.
“We went through some difficult matches but we kept working hard and in the end we have been rewarded,” Ibáñez said.
Athletic was trying to reach the Copa final for the third time in four seasons. It was runner-up to Basque Country rival Real Sociedad in 2020 and to Barcelona in 2021. It had also made it to the last four last season, losing to Valencia.
“We had many chances to decide the game but when you don’t take advantage of them things like this can happen and you end up leaving looking like a fool,” Williams said.
Athletic is the second most successful club in the competition with 23 titles, eight fewer than Barcelona. But it last won the title nearly four decades ago after beating Barcelona in the 1984 final.
Osasuna — ninth in the Spanish league, two spots behind Athletic — lost to Betis the only other time it reached the Copa final 18 years ago.
Athletic controlled the pace from the start at San Mamés and Williams opened the scoring from close range after the ball fell to him in front of goal following a corner kick.
The hosts had a few other good chances to extend the lead in regulation, including a couple for Williams' younger brother Nico, who missed over the crossbar from close range with only the goalkeeper to beat following a breakaway in the 70th. He also missed an opportunity from inside the area in the 87th.
“It’s normal for my brother to be upset, we are all upset," Iñaki Williams said. "We were on the verge of another final and we have been eliminated.”
Ibáñez, who came off the bench in the 100th, netted the decider with a few minutes left in extra time with a right-footed volley into the far corner past Athletic goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala.
The kickoff was delayed for 10 minutes because Osasuna's bus had difficulties getting into the stadium.
___
Tales Azzoni on Twitter: http://twitter.com/tazzoni
___
More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
