MADRID, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- Gorka Guruzeta scored twice as Athletic Bilbao recovered from an early concession to claim its first win of the Champions League campaign, beating Qarabag FK 3-1 at home.
After defeats to Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund, the match carried added importance for Athletic, but some fans were still taking their seats for the early kickoff when Qarabag opened the scoring inside a minute.
A mix-up between Aymeric Laporte and Aitor Paredes allowed Leandro Andrade to steal the ball, advance and finish with a diagonal shot past goalkeeper Unai Simon.
Athletic looked unsettled before Oihan Sancet fired over after being slipped through by Alejandro Rego Mora. The home side then took control, with Guruzeta denied by Mateusz Kochalski's foot and Rego heading the rebound over.
Nico Williams curled a shot narrowly wide, and Guruzeta headed just over from a corner.
Inaki Williams went off with a groin injury and was replaced by Alex Berenguer, but Athletic equalized five minutes before halftime when Mikel Jauregizar played in Guruzeta, who beat Kochalski with a low left-footed shot.
Athletic continued to press after the break, creating chances without converting until the 70th minute, when substitute Robert Navarro drove a left-footed shot into the corner after a pass from Berenguer.
Qarabag nearly leveled in the 84th minute when Oleksii Kashchuk lifted the ball over Simon, but Paredes cleared off the line.
Guruzeta sealed the win in the 88th minute, turning and striking from outside the box to secure Athletic's first three points of the tournament. ■
