体坛英语新闻：Barcelona and Bilbao set up King's Cup final clash

MADRID, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Barcelona Wednesday booked the Spanish King's Cup final meet with Athletic Bilbao after Lionel Messi's late strike gave them a 1-1 draw at Real Mallorca.

    Barcelona completed a 3-1 aggregate victory for the Primera Liga leaders after the second leg draw while Bilbao beat Sevilla 3-0 at home to overturn a 2-1 defeat from last month's first leg.

    Barca will play Bilbao in the May 13 final in Valencia.

    Both Barca and Mallorca were reduced to 10 men.

    Gonzalo Castro gave Mallorca the lead with a powerful drive that flew into the top left corner at the end of the first half.

    Barca goalkeeper Jose Manuel Pinto saved Jose Luis Marti's weak penalty early in the second half, awarded after defender Martin Caceres felled Castro and earned himself a straight red card.

    Mallorca lost defender Josemi to a second yellow card in the 65th minute for bringing down Messi.

    The Argentine made it 1-1 in the 81st minute when he pounced on a defensive error and lifted the ball over German Lux.

Athletic Bilbao's Fernando Llorente (C) celebrates his goal against Sevilla with team mates during their Spanish King's Cup semi-final second leg soccer match at San Mames stadium in Bilbao March 4, 2009

In Bilbao, Javi Martinez put the home side ahead within four minutes through a long throw from Fernando Llorente who doubled the lead with a header half an hour later.

    Gaizka Toquero sealed the win before the break.

    It will be Barca's first appearance in the final since they beat Mallorca on penalties to win a second consecutive Cup in 1998and seal a record 24th triumph.

    Athletic have lifted the trophy 23 times