Granada CF 1 - 2 Athletic Bilbao: Garcia and Laporte earn victory for Bilbao

A spectacular strike from Raul Garcia and quick reactions from Aymeric Laporte earned Athletic Bilbao a 2-1 win at Granada on Wednesday night.

Garcia's ability to score special goals had been demonstrated with a stunning winner at Deportivo La Coruna on September 11 and he was at it again at Los Carmenes, but Granada went in level at the break with a goal just before the interval from Mehdi Carcela.

However, Ernesto Valverde's men restored their lead with 13 minutes to go through highly-rated defender Laporte, who fired home a rebound from close range after Granada goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa had saved Mikel San Jose's headed effort.

It was a third straight win for Athletic in LaLiga and lifted them to seventh, but Granada now have just two points from their first five games with only crisis club Valencia beneath them.

Garcia grabbed Athletic's opener in the 15th minute, his wand of a left foot directing a shot beyond Ochoa and in off the post, but the home side responded with Carcela scoring at close range from Dimitri Foulqier's assist.

Ezequiel Ponce tried and failed to hook a volley goalwards from a Tito corner and Sabin Merino dragged a shot wide for Athletic before Benat Etxebarria sent in a corner from the left, San Jose met it with power and when the ball bounced loose off Ochoa, Laporte took his chance.

Athletic host Sevilla on Saturday while Granada are away to Alaves on Monday night.