Granada CF 2 : 2 Athletic Bilbao - Mixed day for Romero

Posted Wednesday, April 11, 2012 by PA

Jaime Romero scored and was then sent off as 10-man Granada were denied a vital Primera Division win over Athletic Bilbao thanks to a last-minute equaliser in a 2-2 draw.

Romero fired home from the middle of the penalty area in the second minute before he was dismissed shortly before the break for violent conduct.

Despite being a man down, Alexandre Geijo doubled the home side's lead in the second half before Fernando Llorente pulled one back for Athletic nine minutes before the end.

Markel Susaeta then levelled the scores for the visitors in the 89th minute when he fired his shot into the top-left corner to salvage a point.

The final goal came after Granada spent all of the second half with a man down after Romero was shown a straight red card in the 38th minute following a challenge on Athletic right-back Andoni Iraola.

The dismissal handed the visitors the chance to level the score from the penalty spot, but Llorente blasted the spot-kick over the bar.

The Lions went close again just before the break when Susaeta's inswinging corner was caught by Granada goalkeeper Julio Cesar before the winger fired another chance over the bar.

Cesar again denied Athletic early in the second half when he saved Iker Muniain's shot from the edge of the 18-yard box, before Geijo doubled the home side's lead in the 74th minute.

Carlos Martins provided the cross which Geijo steered into the bottom corner as Granada scored against the run of play.

Llorente then atoned for his penalty miss when he nodded home from close range after getting on the end of Gomez Ibai's cross before Susaeta's strike claimed a point.