Las Palmas fall short, denied by keeper Simón and the crossbar against Athletic (1-0)

UD Las Palmas began the match with an early setback, conceding a goal almost immediately. Athletic took the lead on their first attacking move, with a pass from former Las Palmas player De Galarreta and a full run from Iñaki Williams, who made it 1-0. It was precisely the scenario coach Diego Martínez had hoped to avoid, shaping the tone of the remaining 86 minutes.

After a few uneasy minutes, Las Palmas started to get into the game. Their first attempts came from Moleiro and Essugo, but a defender blocked the first, and the Portuguese midfielder's volley went over the bar—early signs of a Canarian response.

The match settled into a lull for much of the first half. Both teams remained cautious and avoided too many midfield battles. Las Palmas tried to push forward, but their combinations couldn't break through Athletic’s last defensive line.

In the 37th minute, however, Las Palmas nearly equalized with a determined play from Sandro Ramírez. The forward started the move from his own half with a strong run, passed to McBurnie, but the Scottish striker’s shot struck the leg of keeper Simón.

The 1-0 scoreline held until halftime, in a match played in a vibrant atmosphere at San Mamés, with a notable number of Las Palmas supporters cheering on Diego Martínez’s men.

The second half began with a scare: just two minutes in, Berenguer headed the ball off the crossbar of keeper Dinko Horkas, following a throw-in mistake.

Las Palmas had to weather an offensive storm from Athletic, with several shots blocked by Croatian keeper Horkas and another from Canales that went narrowly wide from a great position.

Las Palmas improved in the final stretch, especially after the introduction of Belgian Januzaj, who nearly helped secure a draw. He struck the crossbar and delivered a great pass to Jaime Mata, whose shot forced yet another save from Simón. The equalizer would have been golden, but the league continues on without pause.