Maxi Lopez bagged a brace, but Torino were held to a hard-fought 2-2 home draw by Athletic Bilbao.
The Granata played a European match in spring for the first time since 1994 and were hoping to defend their excellent home record this season, which saw them keep a clean sheet throughout the continental campaign. They hosted Athletic Bilbao, a side that already knocked Napoli out of the Champions League preliminary round this season and dropped into the Europa League from that tournament.
Maxi Lopez bagged a brace, but Torino were held to a hard-fought 2-2 home draw by Athletic Bilbao.
The Granata played a European match in spring for the first time since 1994 and were hoping to defend their excellent home record this season, which saw them keep a clean sheet throughout the continental campaign. They hosted Athletic Bilbao, a side that already knocked Napoli out of the Champions League preliminary round this season and dropped into the Europa League from that tournament.
It was a disastrous start, as although Toro were aggressive to begin with, after nine minutes Inaki Williams turned in a Borja Viguera assist on a classic counter-attack.
Williams almost made it 2-0 moments later when flicking the ball beyond Emiliano Moretti, but the powerful finish was over the bar. Moretti also threatened an equaliser, his header just beyond the bar and Josef Martinez.
Instead, Torino got back on level terms with Maxi Lopez, who came sliding in from six yards after Cristian Molinaro combined with Omar El Kaddouri to cross from the left.
El Kaddouri pulled back for Martinez, whose header was off target, then the same striker horribly wasted again from point-blank range.
Toro turned the game around completely before half-time. Maxi Lopez completed his brace, this time nodding in a Matteo Darmian cross at the back post.
Maxi Lopez was substituted and less than a minute later Athletic Bilbao were back on level terms. It was a long ball from Benat and Carlos Gurpegi was most alert to nod past Daniele Padelli.
Fabio Quagliarella spun round to turn over, but Athletic went even closer with Gurpegi nodding on to the crossbar. Deep into stoppages, Benat’s fierce long-range free kick also skimmed the woodwork.
Torino 2-2 Athletic Bilbao
Scorers: Williams 9 (A), Maxi Lopez 18, 42 (T), Gurpegi 73 (A)
Torino: Padelli; Maksimovic, Glik, Moretti; Darmian, Benassi, El Kaddouri (Farnerud 76), Gazzi, Molinaro; Maxi Lopez (Amauri 72), Martinez (Quagliarella 58)
Athletic Bilbao: Iago Herrerin; De Marcos, Etxeita, Laporte, Aurtenetxe (Iraola 57); San Jose, Benat; Viguera (Gurpegi 57), Rico, Muniain; Williams (Kike Sola 72)
Ref: Koukoulakis (GRE)