Burgos vs Athletic Club II

The first half ended goalless, with Burgos enjoying the majority of possession but failing to find a way through a disciplined Bilbao Athletic defence. The visitors, playing their first pre-season friendly under new manager Bittor Llopis, grew into the game after the interval.

Inga broke the deadlock in the 68th minute, capitalising inside the box to slot past Burgos goalkeeper Diego González. The goal came against the run of Burgos pressure but reflected Bilbao Athletic's growing confidence on the ball.

Sergio Francisco's side pushed for an equaliser in the final quarter-hour. Just when it seemed the Bilbao Athletic would hold on, a late corner or cross into the box sparked chaos. Mateo Mejía saw a shot saved, Cantero followed up with another effort that was also kept out by the Bilbao Athletic goalkeeper, but Fer Niño was on hand to nod home the rebound from close range.

The goalmouth scramble in the 90th+ minute was the match's decisive moment. The Bilbao Athletic goalkeeper had made two outstanding saves in quick succession from Mejía and Cantero, but the third rebound fell kindly for Niño, who made no mistake with a header. Burgos had been knocking on the door for the final 20 minutes, but without that sequence of saves and rebounds, the match would have ended 1-0.

Fer Niño (Burgos) — The striker's late header salvaged the draw. He also scored in Burgos's first pre-season friendly against Real Sociedad B (2-0) a week earlier, taking his pre-season tally to two goals in two appearances.

Inga (Bilbao Athletic) — Scored the opening goal in the 68th minute with a composed finish, giving the visitors a deserved lead against a Burgos side that had dominated their first pre-season outing.

Bilbao Athletic goalkeeper — Made two exceptional point-blank saves in the final stoppage-time scramble before being beaten by the third attempt. His performance kept his side in the game throughout.

David Hernáiz (Burgos) — The young left-back started after impressing in the first friendly, continuing to push for a first-team role.

Neither side's shot count or possession data is available from the provider payload, but the match narrative suggests a familiar pattern for pre-season friendlies: a first half used for fitness and structure (0-0), followed by a more open second half as substitutions broke up the rhythm. Burgos's inability to convert territorial dominance before the 68th minute mirrors the challenge of a squad still integrating new arrivals and building match sharpness. The late flurry — three shots in quick succession — was Burgos's most dangerous spell of the entire match.

This was Burgos's second pre-season outing under manager Sergio Francisco, who took over in summer 2026. After a convincing 2-0 win over Real Sociedad B a week earlier, this game showed a sterner test against another talented Basque academy side. Burgos's next pre-season fixture is against Athletic Club's first team on 1 August 2026 at El Plantío — a significantly tougher test against a La Liga side.

Athletic Club II, under new boss Bittor Llopis, began their pre-season programme with a promising display. They have six more friendlies scheduled before the start of the Segunda Federación season.

A classic pre-season tale: Burgos's greater physical development (a week further into their programme) was offset by Bilbao Athletic's technical quality and tactical freshness under a new coach. The result was secondary to the fitness work, but Fer Niño's predatory instinct in the six-yard box will encourage Francisco. The real benchmark comes on 1 August against the senior Athletic Club side.

Player of the Match: Fer Niño (Burgos)