In a thrilling Copa del Rey quarterfinal clash at Mestalla, Athletic Bilbao’s Ghanaian forward Iñaki Williams delivered a moment of pure drama by scoring a dramatic 96th-minute winner to secure a 2-1 victory over Valencia and propel his side into the semifinals.
The match had been finely poised after an early own goal by Valencia’s Umar Sadiq handed Athletic the lead in the 26th minute, only for Sadiq to atone by equalizing for the hosts shortly after in the 35th.
As the game headed toward what seemed like inevitable extra time, Athletic launched a swift breakaway in stoppage time. Iñaki’s younger brother, Nico Williams, provided the decisive assist with a precise cross following the counterattack, allowing Iñaki to fire a clinical left-footed strike from the heart of the penalty area past the Valencia goalkeeper and spark wild celebrations among the visiting players and traveling supporters.
This late heroics marked only Iñaki Williams’ second goal of the 2025/26 season across all competitions in what has been a frustrating campaign heavily disrupted by injuries.
The Black Stars striker endured a significant three-month absence due to muscle issues, including a severe adductor problem in his right leg that sidelined him for an extended period and limited his appearances to just 21 outings so far.
Coming off the bench for this crucial knockout tie, his timely intervention not only ended Athletic’s three-match winless run but also underlined his enduring importance to the Basque club as they continue their strong recent record in the competition, reaching the semifinals for the sixth time in seven seasons.