Athletic Club miss a penalty and 24 shots in a Basque derby that stays 0-0

Athletic Club and Deportivo Alavés played out a goalless Basque derby at San Mamés on Saturday, a result that flatters the visitors far more than the performance did. Athletic had 69.4% of the possession and 24 shots to Alavés's two, but Antonio Sivera saved Iñaki Williams' 70th-minute penalty and stood firm the rest of the way.

All the ball, none of the goals

The gap between the two sides in the underlying numbers was stark. Athletic completed far more of the game inside Alavés's half, forced five corners to one, and simply couldn't find the finish: not one of their 24 attempts went in, and Sivera's penalty save on Williams was the game's single defining moment. Alavés, for their part, defended in numbers, absorbed the pressure and left San Mamés with a point they will happily take against a side dominating the ball to that degree.

Match facts

A point that suits Alavés more than Athletic

The draw leaves both clubs in the top half but on different trajectories. Alavés move to sixth, inside the Europa League places, on 11 points from seven games after three wins, two draws and two defeats — their third clean sheet of the campaign. Athletic Club sit tenth on eight points from six games (two wins, two draws, two defeats), a game still in hand on most of the table. It is Athletic's second draw in as many home matches at San Mamés, following a 1-1 with Elche the week before, in a home run that also included a 3-0 win over Atlético Madrid — proof the finishing edge is there when it clicks, just not on Saturday.

Line-ups

Athletic Club set up in a 4-2-3-1: Unai Simón in goal, Johaneko Louis-Jean, Aitor Paredes, Aymeric Laporte and Yuri Berchiche in defence, Íñigo Ruiz de Galarreta and Mikel Jauregizar as the double pivot, Robert Navarro, Oihan Sancet and Nico Williams behind lone striker Iñaki Williams. Alavés lined up in a 4-4-2: Antonio Sivera, Nahuel Tenaglia, Ville Koski, Nicolás Valentini and Jonny Otto across the back, Pablo Ibáñez, Ander Guevara and Carlos Protesoni in midfield, Abde Rebbach wide, and Lucas Boyé partnering Mariano Díaz up front.

What's next

Alavés head into their next round of fixtures firmly in the European conversation, while Athletic Club will look to turn Saturday's dominance into goals before the gap to the top of the table grows any wider.