Antonio Sivera saved a penalty to earn Deportivo Alaves a point at San Mames on Thursday. The goalkeeper was the standout performer in a goalless draw against Athletic Club, a result that keeps Quique Sánchez Flores's side sixth in LaLiga with 10 points.
The decisive moment came in the second half when the referee pointed to the spot. Sivera, with a sharp dive to his left, palmed the effort away and denied the hosts. This intervention capped a night where the Alaves defence, with Abde Rebbach and Ander Guevara putting in a shift, managed to contain an Athletic attack featuring Nico Williams and Robert Navarro.
Standings context
The draw in Bilbao solidifies a positive start to the campaign for Alaves. The team now has 10 points from a possible 18, coming from three wins, one draw and two losses. Their striker Lucas Boyé, the team's top scorer with four goals this season, could not find the net on this occasion, but defensive resilience won the day.
Visiting manager Quique Sánchez Flores praised the collective effort after the final whistle. He said the team showed great personality in such a difficult stadium and that the point was fully deserved. For his part, Athletic coach Edin Terzic acknowledged the difficulty in breaking down a well-organised block and the significance of the missed penalty.
The match was characterised by intense individual battles all over the pitch. Mariano Díaz and Toni Martínez looked for space against a defence marshalled by Aymeric Laporte and Aitor Paredes. In midfield, the duel between Pablo Ibáñez and Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta was constant. Despite home possession, clear chances were scarce thanks to Alaves's tactical discipline.
Looking ahead
With this draw, Alaves halt a minor run of two games without a win, which included a defeat to Valencia. The team now turns its focus to the next fixture in matchday 7, a major challenge. They will host Atletico Madrid, who are fourth in the table, at the Estadio Mendizorrotza on 10 October. All the planning for that match, including the squad list, will be available in our squad section.
The club's medical staff continue to work with injured players Aitor Mañas, Facundo Garcés and Mikel Rodriguez, though a concrete return timeline has not yet been set. The squad heads into an international break in good spirits, knowing their goalkeeper is in fine form. The full schedule of what lies ahead, with all kick-off times and opponents, can be reviewed in our fixtures section.
More detail at Mundo Deportivo
