Having broken the deadlock inside the first 20 minutes in four of their previous five games, Atletico went into this LaLiga clash with a reputation as quick starters, and they were only just denied another early opener tonight, when Unai Simon reacted well to save a cushioned Thiago Almada volley in the 18th minute.
Then again, that chance came either side of good opportunities for the hosts, in which Gorka Guruzeta dragged a shot wide and Oihan Sancet saw a bullet header fly just past the post.
With none of the hosts’ last six - and only one of the last nine head-to-head meetings - seeing both teams score, the first goal in this match would likely prove crucial.
Athletic continued to use Sancet’s head as their weapon of choice in the final 10 minutes of the half, as he headed over via one cross from the right and forced a save from Jan Oblak at the end of another. Meanwhile, Julian Alvarez worked a shooting opportunity at the other end and fired a whisker wide of Simon’s post.
The majority of the goals Athletic had conceded this season had come after the break, and with Los Colchoneros scoring first in all 15 of their league games this season, home fans’ hearts were in mouths when Nicolas Gonzalez climbed highest inside the area, but he failed to keep his header down.
With the second half not 10 minutes old, Guruzeta again failed to capitalise from a good position, following a low cross from Nico Williams.
Chances kept coming as the match entered its final quarter, but the quality of the finishing failed to improve, as Giuliano Simeone failed to trouble Simon with a shot from range either side of Aitor Paredes and Sancet clearing the crossbar for Ernesto Valverde’s side.
The moment of magic needed to win the game seemed to have passed when Williams skipped past Alexander Sorloth but could not beat Oblak at his near post.
However, after Simon clutched a Sorloth header, he launched an attack down the Lions’ left, resulting in Williams squaring to Berenguer, who guided a 25-yard first-time strike past the diving Oblak, condemning Los Colchoneros to successive LaLiga away losses for the first time since January 2024.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Nico Williams (Athletic Club)
