Copa del Rey: Athletic Bilbao sets up all-Basque final against Sociedad

Athletic Bilbao had led 1-0 against Granada from the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinal and a Yuri Berchiche away goal guided the club to the summit clash.

Yuri Berchiche scored with a low drive in the 81st minute after being set up by Mikel Vesga to secure Athletic Bilbao's spot in the April 18 CDR final in Seville (File Photo).

A goal nine minutes from time by defender Yuri Berchiche took Athletic Bilbao into an all-Basque Copa del Rey final against Real Sociedad on Thursday when it edged Granada on away goals.

Athletic had led 1-0 from the first leg of the semifinal but fellow La Liga side Granada levelled the tie on the night through Carlos Fernandez in the 48th minute with a fine header from a cross by Venezuelan Darwin Machis.

Granada, in its first semifinal since 1969, then took a 2-1 overall lead thanks to a goal from German Sanchez after 76 minutes, again with Machis the provider from a corner.

However, its hopes of making the final were dashed when left-back Berchiche scored with a low drive in the 81st minute after being set up by Mikel Vesga to secure his team a spot in the April 18 finale in Seville.

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With 23 titles, Athletic Bilbao is second on the all-time list of Copa del Rey winners behind Barcelona which has triumphed 30 times.

Real Sociedad ended the hopes of second division Mirandes on Wednesday with a 1-0 win which moved it into the final for the first time in 32 years.

Sociedad had already won the first leg 2-1 and it cemented its spot in the final when striker Mikel Oyarzabal scored a 41st-minute penalty after a handball in the area by a Mirandes player.

Mirandes was attempting to become the first second division club to reach the final since 1980.

Real Sociedad, which was Copa del Rey winner in 1909 and 1987 and knocked out Real Madrid 4-3 in this season’s quarterfinals, will be playing in its first final since 1988 when it lost 1-0 to Barcelona.