Two offensive claws at the start of the second half were enough and left over for Granada to defeat a poor Athletic in the match played in Los Cármenes. The Nasrid team, who went from dominated to dominator after the break, knew what they were playing at all times against a rival who made their offensive problems clear. The lions failed to finish between the three sticks, Williams shot to the stick on the sidelines, throughout the clash.
Herrera, with a great header to a measured center from Montoro, and Luis Milla, in a personal move that began with his own recovery of the ball and ended with a corner kick, were the scorers of the afternoon.. Both footballers thus crowned an outstanding performance on a personal level. The second of them, who debuted in the First Division, began to justify the reason for the five million invested by his club in this signing.
(+) See the summary of the match
Little good about the Bilbao team can be highlighted in this meeting. His football gave him to control and command during the first half against a well withdrawn rival, but he collapsed as soon as the Nasrid team began to push higher. Morcillo's debut was the most outstanding note on the Biscayan side.
Diego Martínez's lineup was quite recognizable. Granada formed with many of the players who made up its starting block last season. The main novelty came in the center of the field with the presence of Luis Milla, the most expensive signing of the Nasrid entity that debuted like this in First, along with Montoro and Herrera.
Garitano did not present major variations in his eleven either. Athletic formed in Los Cármenes with their usual defensive line with Balenziaga due to the Yuri headdress, Unai Simón under sticks and Dani García in the double pivot included, and their appearance from the center of the field to the front varied somewhat. De Marcos played on the right-hand inside and Morcillo, another debutant from Bilbao Athletic, on the left. Raúl García made a false nine again with Muniain behind.
The fear of receiving a goal prevailed above all in the approach of both teams. The lions controlled more and better until before the break to a local group without the capacity to reach the domain of Unai Simón and without great burden behind to contain the few arrivals from Bilbao. Morcillo was the first to seek the opposite goal and Raúl García and De Marcos later seconded him.
The Andalusians, on the other hand, did not need so much arrival to hit the target. Herrera scored with a header around 45 minutes, but Mateu invalidated his goal due to Germán's previous foul on Raúl García.
The Navarrese even had his option in front of goal before the interval.
The start of the second half was definitive. Herrera headed in the first substitution and Luis Milla increased the home lead five minutes later. 2-0 down for the lions in the blink of an eye.
For Granada, who had barely given any signs of danger until then, his first two legal shots between the three clubs were enough to practically sentence an Athletic that not even with everything controlled was capable of scoring chances.
Garitano looked unsuccessfully for solutions on the bench. A shot from Williams was the best chance for the Bilbaoans of the entire match. The only auction, by the way, between the three suits.
The Nasrid, also with refreshing men, continued to become strong in defense and look for any loophole to continue surprising after Athletic's poor ball output.
Granada, 2: Ruí Silva; Foulquier, Germán, Duarte, Neva; Herrera (Kenedy 80 '), Montoro (Gonalons 62'), Luis Milla (Víctor Díaz 88 '); Puertas, Soldado (Azeez 80 ') and Machís (Fede Vico 62').
Athletic, 0: Unai Simón; Capa (Williams 56 ', Yeray, Iñigo Martínez, Balenziaga; Dani García (Winner 80'), Vesga (Unai López 56 '); De Marcos, Muniain (Sancet 72'), Morcillo; and Raúl García (Villalibre 72 ').
Goals: 1-0: min. 48; Herrera. 2-0: min. 53; Luis Milla
Referee: Mateu Lahoz (Valencian Committee). He admonished Herrera, Morcillo, Germán, Iñigo Martínez, Unai López, Yeray and Gonalons.