Athletic Bilbao have taken a 1-0 half-time lead against Zilina in their Europa League playoff second-leg clash at San Mames.

The hosts were quickest off the starting blocks when Borja Viguera collected Javier Eraso's ball and fired towards goal, but the effort was blocked and cleared away.

Bilbao continued to press Zilina and had them on the ropes time and time again, with the visitors' first chance not coming until the 16th minute, when Jakub Paur saw his effort charged down.

Eventually the Basque Country giants succeeded in breaking the deadlock when, 24 minutes in, Gorka Elustondo lashed a long-range shot from just outside the area into the bottom-right corner.

Laszlo Benes came close to pulling the Slovakian giants back two minutes before the break, but his vicious effort whistled past the post.