On paper, there was only ever likely to be one winner in this clash, and the opening stages of the game went true to form.
Athletic started firmly on the front foot and created a few good sightings of goal, the best of which fell to Gorka Guruzeta, who ought to have at least hit the target when he was left unmarked inside the area, but he could only fire over the bar.
As is so often the case, most of Athletic’s good early work was coming through Guruzeta, and he forced the game’s first shot on target when his volley from distance to round off a sweeping move forced Matias Dituro into a smart save.
It was starting to feel like a matter of time before Ernesto Valverde’s men nosed ahead, and they came closer still when Alejandro Rego’s long-range strike looked destined for the bottom corner, but a stunning one-handed stop from Dituro kept the scores level.
Firmly on the ropes for much of the opening 45, Elche had their stopper to thank for getting into half-time with their clean sheet still intact, as his third fine stop of the evening came shortly before the break, when beating away a weaving run and powerful shot inside the area from Inaki Williams.
Pressure eventually told for the hosts when Yuri Berchiche burst down the wing and hammered a teasing delivery across the face of goal, which the grateful Guruzeta was on hand to tap in.
The game soon became shrouded in controversy though as a late challenge from Inigo Lekue on Tete Morente prompted the award of a penalty.
Andre Silva saw his initial spot kick ruled out due to a double touch – but rather than that error resulting in an indirect free-kick, Elche were allowed to retake the penalty, and this time Silva found the bottom corner to get the San Mames faithful truly seething in their seats.
Even with a burning sense of injustice, Athletic did precious little in the closing stages to get themselves back in front, with that incident clearly weighing heavy.
But they were gifted a route to three points when a clumsy Pedro Bigas challenge inside the area was punished with a penalty after a brief VAR check. It was their go-to man Guruzeta who stepped forward from 12 yards to net a dramatic late winner, sealing his side’s first hat trick of league wins since August.
Meanwhile, Elche’s position remains precarious, and they’ll be looking over their shoulder this weekend having played before their rivals.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Gorka Guruzeta (Athletic Bilbao)