Llorente scores hat trick in Athletic Bilbao win
Posted January 28, 2012 2:03 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
BARCELONA, Spain — Fernando Llorente scored a hat trick to give Athletic Bilbao a 3-2 win at Rayo Vallecano in a back-and-forth game in the Spanish league on Saturday.
After Miguel “Michu” Perez’s opener for Rayo, Llorente headed in a free kick to level in the 16th minute, and added a second when he controlled a pass with his chest, spun and fired from the edge of the area in the 23rd.
Alejandro Arribas drew Rayo even moments later, but Llorente headed home Gaizka Toquero’s cross for the 68th-minute winner and his 11th league goal of the season.
Bilbao, which plays third-tier Mirandes in the Copa del Rey semifinals this week, moved into sixth place.
Also, Espanyol edged 10-man Mallorca 1-0 to climb level on points with fourth-place Levante.
