Athletic Bilbao kept themselves in the mix for European qualification with a comfortable win over 10-man Tenerife.

The visitors, who are currently languishing in the relegation zone, failed to recover after being reduced to 10 men in just the 17th minute as Jose Antonio Culebras was given his marching orders for an ugly challenge on Gaizka Toquero in the penalty area.

Fernando Llorente dispatched the resulting spot-kick and Toquero doubled the lead a few minutes later.

Andoni Iraola got the third after the break and, after Alejandro Alfaro had pulled a goal back for Jose Luis Oltra's side, Igor Gabilondo rounded off the scoring.

The hosts, without the suspended Pablo Orbaiz and Javi Martinez, made an assured start against opponents who had won on just one of their previous 12 visits to San Mames.

Llorente should have given Bilbao a second-minute lead but he failed to hit the target with his header from Gabilondo's corner.

Moreno David Lopez had a go from distance but failed to find the target before Culebras' moment of madness gave the visitors an almost impossible task.

The defender had clashed with Toquero a few minutes before, and he had clearly failed to regain his composure as his ill-timed lunge brought the striker down in the box and saw him receive a straight red.

Llorente made no mistake from the penalty spot as he placed the ball beyond the grasp of Tenerife keeper Sergio Aragoneses.

Toquero then doubled the lead in the 23rd minute as Llorente's cushioned header saw the forward produce a rasping finish from the right side of the box.

Ezequiel Luna had the visitors' best chance of the opening half but he could only head wide after being first to Hens Juanlu's inswinging corner, while Gabilondo fired over with a speculative effort at the other end.

Aragoneses then made a great save from Lopez on the stroke of half-time to just about keep his side in the game.

But any hopes the visitors had of mounting a comeback were quickly extinguished when Bilbao got their third goal just nine minutes into the second stanza.

Lertxundi Koikili produced some good work down the left and his ball across the six-yard box was easily tapped in by Andoni Iraola.

But, to their credit, Tenerife hit back as Alfaro tapped home from close range a few minutes later, only for Gabilondo to slot home from Toqero's well-judged pull-back and make it 4-1 with 27 minutes still to play.

Gabilondo went close to getting his second but Aragoneses produced a fantastic save at full stretch to deny him.

Tenerife enjoyed a good spell late in the game as their hosts took their foot of the pedal, but Daniel Kome and Nino failed to find the net, with the latter seeing his shot cannon back off the crossbar with Gorka Iraizoz beaten.