Deportivo Alaves to face Barcelona in Copa del Rey final

Madrid - Edgar Mendez's solo effort nine minutes from time sent Deportivo Alaves into its first-ever Copa del Rey final with a 1-0 semi-final, second-leg win over Celta Vigo, enough to progress by the same score on aggregate.

The visitor was left to rue a string of missed chances in the first leg as Mendez burst through the Celta defence before firing high past Sergio Alvarez to wild scenes of celebration at Mendizorrotza.

Alaves will have to beat Barcelona to lift the Copa del Rey for the first time in May's final after the holder reached its fourth straight final with a 3-2 aggregate win over Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.

However, Alaves can take inspiration from a shock 2-1 win at the Camp Nou in September's La Liga encounter.

It is the first time Alaves, newly promoted to the top flight of Spanish football, has reached any final since losing out on the 2001 UEFA Cup 5-4 to Liverpool.

And it was a former Liverpool striker who threatened to thwart the club once more as Fernando Pacheco made a fine early save to turn Iago Aspas' effort behind.

Neither side created many chances in a tense encounter, but Alaves made its count when Mendez latched onto Victor Camarasa's flick-on and drove past Hugo Mallo and Gustavo Cabral before unleashing a shot high into the far corner.