JEDDAH (Reuters) - Goals from Gavi and Lamine Yamal earned Barcelona a 2-0 win over Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish Super Cup semifinal in Jeddah to reach their third successive final.
Gavi opened the scoring in the 17th minute and Yamal doubled Barca’s lead seven minutes after the break.
Barcelona, the most successful Super Cup side with 14 trophies, will face the winners of Thursday’s semifinal between holders Real Madrid and Mallorca in the final on Sunday.
The earliest chances fell to Barcelona’s Raphinha, who first acrobatically volleyed over and then struck a powerful free kick which keeper Unai Simon parried away, but Barca were soon rewarded for their early onslaught.
Pedri played a pass to Alejandro Balde wide in the area who pulled the ball back across to Gavi, and from just outside the six-yard box he slipped his shot through the legs of Simon.
Barca could have doubled their lead but Raphinha hit his shot straight at the keeper when put through on a one-on-one by Yamal, and Athletic finally began to create opportunities of their own.