Muniain is replaced by Barrutia as the clock hits ninety. Three added minutes to come.
89'
Leckie runs long onto a goal-kick that beats nearly everyone but he sprays his attempt wide.
87'
No real closing chances yet for either side, but a few minutes remain...
85'
Susaeta enters the game and replaces I. Williams.
G. Haraguchi enters the game and replaces S. Kalou.
... and a fourth with Williams replaced by Susaeta.
A third change of the evening with Kalou off for Haraguchi...
82'
Bilbao force it out wide then whip it back in from the right to the box and Vesga so nearly gets a head to it. Close chance for the visitors. Still 0-0 as we close in on full time.
80'
Shouts from BSC for a penalty against Laporte as he brings down a man in the box - but the referee waves them off.
78'
The new substitute makes his mark quickly, getting in a header that drifts straight to Herrerin.
76'
M. Leckie enters the game and replaces V. Ibišević.
BSC make a change, with Leckie taking the place of Ibišević.
74'
Weiser intercepts a Bilbao flat pass on the edge of the BSC box and goes from 0 to 70 in seconds, racing to the other end of the field. Kalou takes the ball but his finish is blocked by Herrerin in a fantastic display of agility.
72'
Laporte puts himself in the way of a Weiser cross to deflect the ball out for a BSC corner, which Bilbao clear with a rapid counter.
Minute
Description
71'
Raúl García enters the game and replaces Iñigo Córdoba.
Change now for Bilbao as Córdobal makes way for García.
68'
A cluttered passage of play from Bilbao almost gifts Ibisevic a chance to break free but Leuke sees off the danger.
66'
BSC push it down the right for Weiser but he can't control and counter-play forces the ball all the way back at speed to Kraft who starts the attack again.
64'
Athletic are starting to bring themselves back into the tussle now, but Muniain's latest is no trouble to Kraft from the edge of the penalty area.
62'
San José gets yellow.
Another yellow now, this time for San Jose, after what appeared to be a stomp. Free-kick for BSC is taken by Weiser but it skims past Ibisevic and out.
60'
V. Ibišević gets yellow.
Ibišević is then booked for reversing into a Bilbao player whilst challenging for the ball.
59'
Kalou feeds Ibisevic on the left flank but the striker can't turn the ball back to the right like he wants and pushes it wide of the mark and goal post.
58'
Cordoba blows it! Kraft bobbles a cross back out into the penalty area and the Bilbao man is first to it - but he sends it somewhere into the stands as quickly as he can, not realising he has space.
57'
Weiser can't quite take in a short cross to release him on the right touchline and Bilbao have a throw.
56'
Two BSC players down - appears to be Weiser and Plattenhardt - but both get to their feet and continue on as Bilbao head downfield with purpose.
54'
This is a vastly improved Hertha performance from the first half in midfield, the area where they clicked the least for the opening forty-five. Darida and Weiser are controlling the show right now, even if chances have dried up for a few minutes.
52'
Now Ibisevic has a chance on the back of another Kalou shot, but both are tipped away from ten feet in front by Herrerin, who is under intense pressure. BSC starting with all guns blazing in this second half.
50'
Kalou burst down the right flank, and tries to cut back between two defenders inside the box to find a better angle - but Etxeita forces him off the ball and scoots it away.
49'
Plattenhardt goes close! He comes onto a flat pass on the edge of the box, hits it at speed and it is pushed out to the left by Herrerin. BSC can't convert the corner into a chance and it's a goal kick to the visitors.
47'
First chance to BSC, who press down the right flank through Weiser, clipping a flat pass to Duda whose tap-on finds nobody but the keeper.
46'
Muniain clips to Vesga and we're back underway in Berlin!
45'
Plattenhardt once again makes connection but this time his head guides away from goal. Darida catches it on the volley with his right foot and sends it skimming over the top from thirty yards out - and that's the first half done and dusted!
44'
Plattenhardt can't quite get around a cross into the box but earns BSC a corner.
43'
Mikel Vesga gets yellow.
The hosts are unable to make anything of it, but then earn another free-kick after Vesga concedes a second foul and is booked.
41'
Still no change in the score in Berlin as the first half edges towards conclusion. Vesga concedes a foul though and BSC have a free-kick in their own half.
38'
Bilbao whip a corner in, aiming for Muniain, but no luck once more and BSC ferry the ball out of danger through Langkamp.
37'
Down the other end, Duda puts a fine lob cross into the box seeking Kalou but the keeper leaps first and collects with ease.
35'
Leuke butchers a volley on the edge of the box from the right, slicing it so wide it goes nearer the corner flag than the goal post. Another wasted chance for the visitors.
33'
Bilbao break down the left and Vesga puts a lovely cross in, but Etxeita is quick to react and deal with the danger.
32'
Laporte hits the deck after a clumsy challenge but recovers to stand and no-one sees a card.
30'
Lustenberger chances his luck from distance on the right but hits it straight and out for BSC.
29'
Bilbao push forward once more but a mistimed cross ends up falling at the feet of Kraft, who is yet to face a truly testing shot outside of that early attempt.
26'
M. Weiser gets yellow.
San Jose gives away a foul to grant a free-kick to Hertha - and then Weiser is booked for reasons not made too clear. The kick comes to nothing though and Bilbao evade any further pressure.
25'
Balenziaga goes hunting a wonderful long lob into the box but he runs a shade too far behind and the keeper beats him.
22'
This is the first ever match in competition between Hertha BSC and Athletic Bilbao, for those interested. So far, it's the visitors who have had the better chances - but it remains goalless.
20'
Another spell of midfield play here between boths sides, culminating with San Jose hooking a cross into the box that goes straight to the BSC keeper.
17'
Muniain blows a beauty of a chance! The Spanish striker is gifted the ball from a defending error just inside the Hertha box on the left with only the keeper - but he pulls it well wide to the right. One of the most clear-cut chances so far.
16'
Darida and Laporte go down for Hertha and Athletic each after they challenging for the same high ball and clash heads.Both are OK after a moment but it looked like a hard knock.
14'
A lull in proceedings here as the opening burst of speed and power from Bilbao bubbles down to a more sedate passage of play. Both sides are scoping each other out.
12'
Plattenhardt and Weiser combine around the back for BSC before the latter is fouled, earning the home side a free kick way back in their own half. Relieving.
9'
Close effort for Bilbao! Muniain launches a right-footer from just outside the box on the left that forces the keeper to leap with fingertips to deny him. Mostly one-way-traffic coming at the hosts so far.
7'
Bilbao are content to play it round in midfield and frustrate any attempts to poach the ball by BSC - before then earn a throw on the left in their opposition's half and almost pull off a swift fast move to the right side of the box, only for Aduriz to be dislodged.
5'
So far, it's the visitors who are showing more teeth as Williams pushes a flat pass onto Laporte and then to Aduriz, only for Pekarik to sweep across and clean up.
3'
Athletic earn a corner but Williams can't control his collection and BSC recover to clear.
2'
Laporte catches the tip of his boot on a loose ball as he tries to finish a fast Athletic move into the BSC box but he puts it straight to the keeper.
1'
Ibisevic taps back into his own half and we are underway in the Europa League! He reclaims and immediately pushes Bilbao back into their own half but they recover to see off his weak attempt.
The whistle goes for full-time after a tepid final few minutes and that's all she wrote!
Good evening and welcome to the opening round of the group stage of the 2017/18 UEFA Europa League, as Germany’s Hertha BSC host Spain’s Athletic Bilbao in a Group J clash. Both sides are much fancied to progress to the knock-out stages, with Zorya Luhansk of Ukraine and Sweden’s Östersund making up the rest of the quartet – but tonight represents a chance for one of these two sides to lay down a marker and pick up three points in pursuit of that table-topping place and a seeded position in the next round. Who will emerge victorious? Kick-off is half an hour away.
Tonight’s hosts have come within a game of the final once before, back when it was the UEFA Cup, in 1978/79 – but Hertha will be looking to write some history on the international stage at the Olympiastadion. Automatic qualifiers alongside fellow countrymen Koln, Pal Dardai’s side come into their opening European game after a difficult to start to the domestic campaign, with four points from nine. Can they kick-on at home and get their Europa League season off to a flyer?
It's all been rosy on the other hand for Athletic, who are undefeated competitively this season. Unlike their opponents, they were forced through the qualification rounds, triumphing against Panathinaikos to be here – and a strong opening run in La Liga will give José Ángel Ziganda reason to cheer. Two seasons ago, they made it to the quarter-finals before losing to Sevilla – can they go one or two better this year and make it to Parc Olympique Lyonnais?
The scoreline may be the same as it was when this game started but it does not tell the full story. At points, Bilbao have dominated the hosts but BSC have remained tenacious in pursuit and were rewarded with a spate of chances near the end of the first half. Still, neither have netted and that's how it remains - half time, Hertha BSC 0-0 Athletic Bilbao.
In the end, it's an equal share of the spoils at the Olympiastadion as BSC and Bilbao play out a nonetheless engaging goalless draw. Both sides had their chances, thought perhaps never any truly great ones - and both played a brand of football in parts that should stand them well over the weeks to come. Full-time then in Berlin, it's Hertha BSC 0-0 Athletic Bilbao.
So what's next for the members of Group J? They have a fortnight off first - and then, in two weeks, Bilbao will host Zorya Luhansk, defeated at home tonight, whilst BSC will make the journey north to Östersund who will be sitting pretty on three points. One thing's for certain though - the Europa League is back, if not exactly with a bang. Thank you for joining us and have a good night!
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