UEFA Europa League: Iñaki Brace Secures Bilbao Victory in Istanbul
Ghanaian forward Iñaki Williams delivered a stellar performance, netting a brace to propel Athletic Club Bilbao to a 2-0 victory over Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce in their UEFA Europa League clash in Istanbul.
Williams wasted no time making an impact, finding the back of the net in just the fifth minute to give Bilbao an early advantage.
The 30-year-old doubled the lead with a clinical finish on the stroke of halftime, ensuring his side entered the break in firm control of the match.
Fenerbahce’s hopes of a comeback suffered a significant blow in the 70th minute when Mert Muldur received a red card, leaving Mourinho’s side with ten men and an uphill battle.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, the Turkish side managed to prevent further damage, but Iñaki’s first-half heroics proved insurmountable as the game ended 2-0 in Bilbao’s favor.
Williams’ brace marked his fourth goal in the Europa League this season, bringing his total tally across all competitions to eight.
His contributions have been pivotal for Bilbao’s campaign, with this victory lifting them to the top of the Europa League standings with 16 points, three ahead of second-placed Lazio, who have a game in hand.