Bilbao end tiny Mirandes' big dream

Athletic Bilbao cruised into the Copa del Rey final with a 6-2 win on the night for an 8-3 aggregate victory, as they put an emphatic full stop on the end of the Mirandes fairytale. With a 2-1 lead from the first leg, the hosts sprinted into a 3-0 lead inside 22 minutes at San Mames thanks to goals from Iker Munain, Markel Susaeta and Jon Aurtenetxe. Aitor Blanco scored a couple after the break to give the visiting support something to cheer, but Fernando Llorente scored two of his own in between, and an own goal from Cesar Caneda rounded off the scoring two minutes from time. Athletic will go on to face either Barcelona or Valencia in the final, while Mirandes can reflect on a cup run in which they beat Villarreal, Espanyol and Racing Santander. Athletic were ahead after 11 minutes when Ander Herrera chipped the ball into the box, Inaki Garmendia failed to deal with it and Munain slid the ball into the corner. Three minutes later it was two, and in some style. A lovely move down the right saw Llorente find Oscar De Marcos, who in turn played the ball on to Andoni Iraola. He produced a neat backheel into the centre for Susaeta to finish. Susaeta then turned provider in the 22nd minute as his cross from the right found Aurtenetxe at the far post and his header looped over goalkeeper Nauzet Perez. Pablo Infante, the tournament's top scorer, twice threatened after the break as the visitors enjoyed a good period before finally pulling one back in the 57th minute. Raul Garcia's shot rebounded off the post across goal, Haritz Mujika played it back into the danger zone and Blanco poked the ball home from close range. The minnows were brought back down to earth as Llorente bagged a quickfire brace, accepting a through ball from Susaeta and chipping over Perez from the edge of the box in the 71st minute, then converting a cross from De Marcos at the far post four minutes later. Blanco added a second of his own four minutes from time, bundling the ball home after Muneta's free-kick was saved, but the night ended in unfortunate fashion for Mirandes as Caneda inadvertently poked De Marcos' cross into his own goal two minutes later. Mirandes did not give up and Ander Lambarri hit the post in stoppage tine, but it was Athletic who advanced.