Football
Reuters 15y

Soccer-Bilbao, Mallorca through to King's Cup semis

By Mark Elkington

MADRID, Jan 28 - Athletic Bilbao and Real Mallorca
booked themselves semi-final places in the King's Cup on
Wednesday.

Igor Gabilondo and David Lopez gave Bilbao a 2-1 aggregate
win away to Sporting Gijon, that earned them a meeting with
either Sevilla or holders Valencia in their semi-final, first
leg next week.

Valencia visit Sevilla on Thursday holding a 3-2 first-leg
advantage.

The 2003 Cup winners Mallorca held Real Betis 0-0 in Seville
to go through 1-0 on aggregate, and will face either Barcelona
or Espanyol in the last four.

Primera Liga leaders Barca play Espanyol at the Nou Camp on
Thursday after a goalless first leg.

Bilbao, who won the last of their 23 King's Cups in 1984,
were behind from inside the first minute in Gijon, when
Sporting's Carmelo fired in from the edge of the area.

Bilbao came close on a number of occasions in an open
encounter but it was Gabilondo who levelled before the break,
lobbing Sergio Sanchez after chasing a flick-on.

Sporting's defence, that was breached five times away to
Getafe in the league on Sunday, went missing six minutes after
the re-start gifting Lopez a free header that settled the tie.

Mallorca are in the relegation places in the Primera Liga
but they were good for their 0-0 draw away from home, as
Alhassane Keita's first-leg goal proved enough to put them
through.

However, the Cup exit increases the pressure on Betis coach
Paco Chaparro, whose side have lost their way in recent weeks
and now sit four points above the bottom three in the league.

(Editing by Miles Evans)

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