Athletic Bilbao 1-1 Marseille

Substitute Sabin Merino scored nine minutes from time to send Athletic Bilbao into the last 16 of the Europa League after a hard-fought 2-1 aggregate victory over Marseille.The Spanish side held all the aces after a 1-0 win at the Stade Velodrome but the tie was levelled just before half-time following Michy Batshuayi's blast from close range.It was just desserts for Marseille, who had dominated the first half, but Bilbao found an extra gear after the interval and levelled proceedings on the night when Merino, a 76th-minute introduction, headed home to the relief of the San Mames crowd.They may have expected an all-together more relaxing evening after Aritz Aduriz's 35-yard stunner had separated the sides heading into Thursday night's second-leg clash.But it was the visitors who started brightly and they perhaps should have gone ahead on the night when Georges Nkoudou's corner found on-loan Sunderland striker Steven Fletcher, whose strike was kept out by Iago Herrerin.The Bilbao goalkeeper nearly gifted Marseille a 28th-minute lead after his opposite number Steve Mandanda had saved well from Aymeric Laporte's header.A long goalkick from the Marseille custodian allowed Nkoudou to steal in between the onrushing Herrerin and a couple of defenders but the Frenchman was forced wide after rounding the keeper and his shot at an empty net came back off a post.It was a big let off for Bilbao but one they did not learn from, with Michel's men scoring the goal their intent deserved five minutes before the interval.Batshuayi could only glance Benjamin Mendy's left-wing cross, but the ball bounced back into his path after a failed clearance, and the Belgium international made no mistake with his second bite at the cherry, firing high past Herrerin.Stung into action, the hosts pressed further forward and were nearly rewarded on the hour mark, only for Mandanda to tip over Markel Susaeta's free-kick from 25 yards.Mandanda also kept out Mikel San Jose's header, while at the other end Fletcher headed wide from inside the area and then missed the target with his strike from a similar distance.Just as it appeared extra-time might be looming, Bilbao went ahead for the second time in the tie thanks to Merino's 81st-minute goal.Markel Susaeta's cross from the right was met by the substitute, who had gotten ahead of marker Javier Manquillo, and he planted a diving header past Mandanda.Fletcher spurned another chance in the dying minutes but the 2011-12 runners-up comfortably held on to book their spot in the last 16.ends