THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
MADRID — Athletic Bilbao reached its first Copa del Rey final in 24 years after a 3-0 victory against Sevilla on Wednesday.
Javi Martinez, Fernando Llorente and Gaizka Toquero scored within 37 minutes of the first half for the 23-time champion to get past Sevilla 4-2 on aggregate after two legs of the semifinals. Fans flooded the field after the final whistle as Athletic reached its record 35th final.
Martinez ran on to Llorente’s flicked-on throw-in in the fourth minute to hit a hard shot that Andres Palop saved but Martinez continued his run and slotted in the rebound past the helpless Sevilla goalkeeper.
Even with three shirts surrounding him in the penalty box, Llorente got high enough to head Fran Yeste’s cross down past Palop in the 34th.
The Spain striker then curled a pass to Toquero, who was free in space along the left of the area and with enough time to compose himself before slotting under the onrushing Palop.
Athletic, which last triumphed in the domestic cup competition in 1984 as part of a league-cup double, set up the first half of what could be a tantalizing May 13 final. Spanish league leader Barcelona, a record 24-time winner of the cup, played at Mallorca later Wednesday holding a 2-0 first-leg lead.
Athletic, which had lost 11 of its previous 12 matches against Sevilla, welcomed back nine regulars into the lineup — including Llorente and Martinez, who had both been rested for Saturday’s 2-1 league loss to Sevilla.
The 47,000-capacity San Mames was boisterous from the opening whistle and only grew louder after Martinez scored from the setpiece to put Athletic through thanks to the away goal earned in a 2-1 first leg defeat at Sanchez Pizjuan.
Martinez nearly doubled his tally in the 13th when a deflected ball broke to him but Palop rushed out to save the angled shot from the edge of the box.
The young midfielder was in the thick of nearly every Athletic attack and headed a good chance over goal in the 32nd.
Sevilla coach Manolo Jimenez brought on an extra attacker in Luis Fabiano immediately after Llorente’s goal for the Brazil striker’s first appearance in over four weeks.
But Llorente took advantage of the extra space on a counterattack and drew Sevilla’s defence over just enough for Toquero to streak in untouched.
Llorente laid off for Pablo Orbaiz in the 55th but Palop easily saved the long-range shot.
Sevilla’s players were closer to getting sent off than scoring the two needed goals to advance as they repeatedly fouled Athletic’s players out of frustration. Athletic defender Aitor Ocio had Sevilla’s best chance through 61 minutes after nearly deflecting into his own goal.
Although Sevilla had chances to the finish, the momentum was clearly Athletic’s as it stayed unbeaten against Sevilla in cup play stretching to the 1947-48 season.