It is cleared away. The ball is chipped back into the box. Selke meets it on the volley but it is straight at Herrerin, who can smother it.
90' +1
Xabier Etxeita gets yellow.
Hertha with a free-kick right on the edge of the right of the box. Can they make something of this?
Xabier Etxeita receives a yellow card.
90'
The fourth official has indicated three minutes of additional time.
89'
Hertha, as has been the case in this second half, show good build up play to make it to the edge of the Bilbao box but the final pass is once again unable to find a teammate. They are running out of time and it is going to take a quality pass to beat this wall of red and white.
86'
Raúl García gets yellow.
Raúl García goes into the referees book for a late challenge.
Hertha have roughly five minutes to save their Europa League campaign. They will not be able to finish above third place regardless of the result in the other game later on tonight if it stays like this.
82'
I. Williams has scored a goal for Athletic Bilbao! Assist by Balenziaga.
GOAL! Bilbao break on the counter-attack and Inaki Williams latches onto the end of Balenziaga's pass to sidefoot beyond Kraft and send the home fans wild.
Mikel Balenziaga slides a pass from the left wing into the feet of Williams to sidefoot Bilbao into the lead.
81'
Aymeric Laporte gets yellow.
Aymeric Laporte receives a yellow card.
80'
V. Ibišević enters the game and replaces V. Lazaro.
Raúl García enters the game and replaces Iñigo Córdoba.
Second change for Hertha as Valentino Lazaro is replaced by Vedad Ibišević.
Final change for Bilbao as Iñigo Córdoba is replaced by Raúl García.
78'
Williams charges down the left wing on his own but he can only run into Langkamp. Tired legs are starting to show out there now as the game becomes a little disjointed. Neither side showing much in attack in these last five minutes or so.
75'
Hertha show a good bit of passing play to find space on the left of the box. It is played out wide for the cross but it is well overhit and bounces out at the other end of the pitch for a throw in. 15 minutes of normal time left to play. Can either side find a winner?
Minute
Description
72'
A. Esswein enters the game and replaces M. Leckie.
Hertha's first change of the game sees Mathew Leckie replaced by Alexander Esswein.
Bilbao continue to pressure high up the pitch and a tackle in the final third opens up an opportunity for Williams. He does well to turn his defender in the box but his low effort towards the bottom-left corner curls just wide of the near post.
70'
Hertha corner. A free-kick from the right of the box looks to be aimed at the inside of the near post but it is well covered by a Bilbao defender. The following corner is again dealt with but Bilbao are unable to make the most of a counter-attack.
69'
What a game. Both sides showing they have no intention of letting their hopes of progressing to the knockout stages of the Europa League die here and this is well poised for an exciting final 20 minutes or so. Bilbao are still on top but Hertha will have to come forward now.
67'
D. Selke gets yellow.
Davie Selke receives a yellow card.
66'
Penalty goal scored by Aduriz for Athletic Bilbao!
GOAL! Aritz Aduriz opts to go for the right corner this time and once again Kraft dives the correct way. The Hertha goalkeeper cannot get his fingers too it and it crashes into the back of the net off the inside of the right post.
65'
PENALTY! Bilbao get their second penalty of the game as Langkamp is adjudged to have blocked Mikel Balenziaga's header with his hand. No card.
63'
Still all Bilbao, who look a different side altogether in this second half. They are moving the ball with pace and purpose and Hertha are struggling to find a way out at the moment.
60'
T. Kraft gets yellow.
Hertha are on the ropes! Bilbao get a third corner in a row and this time it is met on the edge of the box for Aduriz to volley. It is blocked away but the ball comes straight back and another shot from Rico on the edge of the box is blocked by a Bilbao player. They are getting closer and closer to the equaliser the home side.
59'
Another corner. The first one looked to be curling straight into the net but Kraft was taking no chances and punches it over the bar.
58'
More Bilbao pressure and another corner. A good cross from the left is headed clear by Langkamp.
57'
Hertha with another free-kick and once again they are pressured all the way back to Kraft, who has no choice but to hammer the ball clear. Strong start to this second half from the home side.
55'
The German side find a little respite with a free-kick in the defensive half but they are still forced to fire the ball long. The Bilbao players are closing down very quickly.
53'
Bilbao in control at the moment but they have yet to find a way to break down this well-organised Hertha defence. Hertha seeing very little of the ball so far.
49'
Bilbao with their first corner of the game. It is swung towards the penalty spot where Aduriz has escaped his marker, but he is unable to keep his header down, flying just over the crossbar. Better from Bilbao in these opening minutes. Hertha are being forced to sit deep and wait for an opportunity on the counter.
47'
Bilbao get straight on the front foot, pressuring and pushing high up the pitch straight from the off. A low cross from the right wing is flashed dangerously across the face of goal but no Bilbao player is there to meet it.
46'
Iturraspe enters the game and replaces San José.
Susaeta enters the game and replaces Ager Aketxe.
Bilbao get the game back underway! Can they find a way back into the tie?
Half-time change for Bilbao. Ager Aketxe is replaced by Markel Susaeta.
Mikel San José is replaced by Ander Iturraspe at half-time as well.
45'
The fourth official has indicated one minute of additional time.
43'
Bilbao try to find their way forward once again but Aduriz is crowded out on the edge of the box. Hertha are happy to just retain possession and see this lead out until half time.
40'
The mistakes are starting to creep in for this Bilbao side and the half-time whistle can't come soon enough. They have been second best for large periods of this first half and they will be frustrated at the manner of that second goal.
36'
D. Selke has scored a goal for Hertha Berlin! Assist by V. Lazaro.
GOAL! Unbelievable. Barely a minute after Bilbao equalise and they find themselves right back behind. Hertha break into space down the right wing with Lazaro. The Bilbao defence is overrun and Davie Selke meets the cross at the back post to head beyond the helpless Herrerin.
Valentino Lazaro finds himself in acres of space on the right wing on the counter-attack to cross towards the back post for Selke to restore Hertha's lead.
35'
Penalty goal scored by Aduriz for Athletic Bilbao!
GOAL! Aritz Aduriz fires the penalty into the bottom left corner. Thomas Kraft dived the right way but he couldn't quite get his hands to it. Game on?
33'
S. Langkamp gets yellow.
PENALTY! A cross is brought down in the box by Williams and he is brought down by Sebastian Langkamp before the winger can get his shot away.
Sebastian Langkamp is booked for bringing down Williams in the box. Another Hertha defender arguably had the shot covered, hence only the yellow.
32'
Hertha have adopted a 4-4-2 formation now, with Lazaro partnering Selke in attack. The German side have comfortably handled anything Bilbao have thrown at them so far as well, although there is a sense Bilbao are starting to find their way back after a shaky 10 minutes or so.
29'
Bilbao look a little shocked at the moment. They are struggling to impose themselves against this Hertha side and if this keeps up they could find themselves with a mountain to climb by half-time.
26'
M. Leckie has scored a goal for Hertha Berlin! Assist by M. Mittelstädt.
GOAL! Hertha are in complete control and they have got the lead their dominance has warranted. A cross from the left from Mittelstadt is met with a powerful bullet header by Mathew Leckie and the Bilbao defence once again fail to deal with the threat from the wings.
Maximilian Mittelstädt swings in a brilliant cross from the left wing for Leckie to power a header beyond Herrerin.
24'
Another Hertha corner comes flying into the box but this time it is well cleared by the Bilbao defence. It is straight back to the away side and these Bilbao players are having to fend off wave after wave of attacks at the moment.
22'
Hertha in control now. They cannot afford to suffer defeat today and the players are putting in the performance to suggest they are up to the challenge.
19'
Bilbao look very vulnerable to attacks from the wing. Another low cross the left by Marvin Plattenhardt is allowed to find its way to the centre of the box. Lustenberger arrives to try and sidefoot home but gets it all wrong. The ball bounces off a defender but, in truth, it looked more likely to hit the corner flag than the back of the net.
17'
A slight delay as Inigo Lekue is down for Bilbao. It appeared he caught his foot under the boot of the Hertha winger as he attempted to clear the ball.
15'
Hertha back in control as they opt to try and slow the game down. They have created the best chances so far the away side but they have found the Bilbao keeper to be in fine form.
12'
Brilliant from Herrerin! Selke is through on goal and fires a powerful drive down the centre. The Bilbao keepers' save is poorly parried away and the follow up shot looks to be flying in, were it not for Herrerin regaining his feet quickly to get a strong hand to the ball to punch it away.
11'
Competitive game in these opening stages so far. Both sides wasting no time in trying to push for that opening goal to settle the nerves.
8'
Williams comes surging down the right wing and fires in a low cross which is hammered clear by a Hertha defender. Bibao looking dangerous when they are given the chance to get the ball down and pass around.
7'
Bilbao with their first real attack of the game. They make it to the edge of the Hertha box but Inaki Williams' chipped pass over the top is nowhere near a teammate and bounces out for a goal kick.
4'
CLOSE! More good attacking play from Hertha. Mittelstadt is found in acres of space on the left wing and charges towards the box. He fires a low cross towards the near post, with the help of a slight deflecton. Selke gets there first and fires a toepoke towards goal but Herrerrin reacts brilliantly to charge down the shot. There wasn't much more the Hertha striker could have done there, good work from the Bilbao keeper.
3'
The corner is whipped in with plenty of pace and it drops dangerously outside the six-yard box before being hammered clear by a Bilbao defender. The Hertha players had peeled away towards the back post so there was no one on hand to latch onto the loose ball.
2'
Hertha are controlling these early stages of the game and have earned themselves a corner after good work down the right.
1'
We're underway! Hertha Berlin get us started, kicking right to left.
Good evening and welcome to our live text commentary of today’s Europa League Group Stage game between Athletic Bilbao and Hertha Berlin at the San Mames Stadium.
It is all to play for in Group J this evening, with a win for either side throwing them straight into the mix for a spot in the last-32 stage of the competition. Athletic Bilbao’s 1-0 win over group leaders Ostersunds is their only victory in the group stage so far, and their only win in their last seven games in all competitions.
A win for the hosts would see them temporarily jump to the top of the table, ahead of the later kick-off this evening. It is not a desperate situation for Jose Angel Ziganda’s side however, as a draw would be enough to keep them in contention for at least a second placed finish going into the final match day of the group stage, depending if Ostersunds fail to win their game.
Pal Dardai’s side have endured a difficult campaign on all fronts so far this season and have lost their last four fixtures in Europe when playing away. They suffered a 4-2 defeat at the hands of Borussia Monchengladbach at the weekend but the Bundesliga side will be hoping they can bounce back and breathe new life into their faltering season tonight.
There’s just over 15 minutes left to go until kick-off, so let’s have a look at how the two teams will be lining up this afternoon…
Athletic Bilbao XI (4-2-3-1): Herrerin; Lekue, Etxeita, Laporte, Balenziaga; San Jose, Rico; Williams, Aketxe, Cordoba; Aduriz.
Athletic Bilbao Substitutes: De Marcos, Iturraspe, Arrizabalaga, Susaeta, Garcia, Boveda, Merino.
Hertha Berlin cannot afford the luxuries of their La Liga counterparts. They are bottom of the group on four points having already suffered defeat in two of their four group fixtures so far. Defeat tonight will ensure they cannot finish higher than third place, whereas a draw could see them relying on the results of the final game, as well as a good performance against the group leaders, to ensure their progression.
Hertha Berlin XI (4-2-3-1): Kraft; Weiser, Langkamp, Rekik, Plattenhardt; Lustenberger, Maier; Leckie, Lazaro, Mittelstadt; Selke.
Hertha Berlin Substitutes: Klinsmann, Skjelbred, Torunarigha, Ibisevic, Kalou, Pekarik, Esswein.
There are four changes from the Athletic Bilbao side that drew 1-1 with Villareal at the weekend. Iago Herrerin replaces Kepa Arrizabalaga in goal and Xabier Etxeita will partner Aymeric Laporte at centre-back in place of Unai Nunez. In midfield, Mikel Rico and Ager Aketxe take the places of Ander Iturraspe and Raul Garcia respectively.
Four changes too, to the Hertha Berlin side that were beaten by Borussia Monchengladbach at the weekend. Arne Maier is the only midfielder to retain his place in the starting line-up, as Fabian Lustenberger, Mathew Leckie, Valentino Lazaro and Maximilian Mittelstadt come into the side, replacing Alexander Esswein, Per Skjelbred, Salomon Kalou and Vedad Ibisevic. Forward Davie Selke will lead the line.
The two sides are making their way out onto the pitch, with just a few minutes to go until kick-off.
HALF-TIME: ATHLETIC BILBAO 1-2 HERTHA BERLIN
Hertha Berlin go in at the break with a fully deserved lead. They have been in control for the majority of the first half, with Bilbao offering very little in attack and being very vulnerable on the wings in defence. Leckie powered the away side into the lead before Aduriz's penalty levelled matters. Barely a minute after Bilbao were caught on the counter-attack and Selke headed in to restore the lead. It is all to do in this second-half for Bilbao but Hertha will be more than happy with their performance.
The teams are heading back out onto the pitch, ahead of the start of the second half.
Unbelievable game of football and a brilliant fightback by Athletic Bilbao. They came out in the second half, all guns blazing and got their just reward for a brilliant performance. A second penalty by Aduriz restored the level terms and Williams was influential in a Bilbao counter-attack on the 82nd minute, providing the key pass to create the opening for assist and latching onto the end of Balenziaga's return to slot home and send the home fans wild. Hertha tried to press for a way back into the game but it was too little, too late, for the German side and they are now unable to progress beyond the group stage. Bilbao, meanwhile, go top of Group J.
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