PLAY IN PROGRESS; CROWD; BOTH GOALS SCORED (NATSOF).




Initials NAC/VS/JH/ES


SPORT: SOCCER

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: EIGHT THOUSAND SOCCER FANS SAW ATLETICO BILBAO, OF SPAIN, QUALIFY FOR THE QUARTER FINALS OF THE INTER-CITIES FAIRS CUP, WHEN THEY DREW 1-1 WITH EINTRACHT FRANKFURT OF WEST GERMANY, AT THE FRANKFURT STADIUM LAST NIGHT (WEDNESDAY). ATLETICO BILBAO WON THE FIRST LEG 1-0 IN BILBAO AND THUS BEAT FRANKFURT 2-1 ON AGGREGATE.

BILBAO, PLAYING IN STRIPED SHIRTS, KICKED OFF, BUT THE WHITE-SHIRTED WEST GERMANS LAUNCHED THE FIRST ATTACK. FRANKFURT SCORED THE FIRST GOAL AFTER A SCRAMBLE IN THE BILBAO GOAL-MOUTH. WITH THE BILBAO DEFENCE IN SOME CONFUSION, THE BALL WENT LOOSE TO LOTZ, WHO SHOT FIRST TIME FOR THE GOAL THAT PUT FRANKFURT LEVEL ON AGGREGATE.

THE BATTLE WAS THEN ON FOR THE WINNING GOAL, AND IT WAS BILBAO, LATER IN THE FIRST HALF, WHO PRODUCED THE VITAL GOAL.

BILBAO WERE AWARDED A FREE-KICK NEAR THE FRANKFURT GOAL. THE BALL WAS CLEARED FROM THE LINE BY A WEST GERMAN DEFENDER, BUT IT WENT STRAIGHT TO BILBAO'S IGARTUA, WHO HIT A POWERFUL SHOT INTO THE NET TO WIN THE TIE.