Derby between Alaves and Athletic ends in draw

Deportivo Alaves and visiting Athletic Club met in a Basque regional derby that provided plenty of action, but little in the way of quality football.

The result lifts Alaves to sixth in LaLiga with 25 points from 16 matches. Athletic, with 15 points, are 18th and remain without an away win this season, reports Efe news.

Alaves started better and Athletic's Aritz Aduriz nearly put the ball in his own net with a poor clearance on a free kick in the 12th minute on Monday night.

The visitors' first chance came in the 24th minute on a counter that began promisingly before culminating in an off-target effort by Iñigo Cordoba.

Two minutes later, Raul Garcia tested Alaves keeper Fernando Pacheco, whose counterpart, Iago Herrerin, later thwarted Jonathan Calleri before the sides went to the dressing rooms.

Pacheco had to come up big for Alaves early in the second half to turn aside a strike by Cordoba.

Alaves showed more desire to score in the final stretch of a contest that saw both teams struggle to create opportunities from open play.

--IANS

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