Griezmann ends Villamarín’s resistance
Two goals from the French allow Atlético to defend their ‘Champions’ position against an insistent Betis
MADRID, 23 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Atlético de Madrid has defended its LaLiga Santander ‘Champions’ position by beating Real Betis this Sunday (1-2), a match in which Diego Pablo Simeone’s men went ahead at the start of the second half at Benito Villamarín with an Olympic goal from Frenchman Antoine Griezmann, who shortly afterwards seemed to sentence the contest before his compatriot Nabil Fekir tightened the result.
Griezmann unblocked the clash for his team in the 54th minute with a corner kick that ended up being introduced into the goal, and made it 0-2 with a shot inside the area that slipped between the legs of Rui Silva. However, Fekir closed the gap with a direct free kick, and Álex Moreno was able to salvage a point in stoppage time with a header that hit the crossbar.
With this, Atlético returns to the path of victory and rises to third position -thanks to Real Sociedad’s stumble-, a result that fills them with morale to face Wednesday’s transcendental duel against Bayer Leverkusen. Manuel Pellegrini’s men, now fifth (20), lose their unbeaten record at Villamarín.
At the home of the best venue in LaLiga Santander so far and in the return of the Slovenian Jan Oblak to the goal, the rojiblanco team introduced the news of Ángel Correa and Saúl Ñíguez -by Rodrigo de Paul and Thomas Lemar- regarding the duel against Rayo , where the team left two points in the discount.
The Verdiblanco team, with up to six substitutions, clearly dominated, especially at the start in a first half without excessive clear scoring situations, in which they had the clearest chances, and marked by the injury of central defender Luiz Felipe, who he had to leave his place to Víctor Ruiz after 20 minutes.
After half an hour, Luiz Henrique tried his luck with a shot that went over the crossbar, and shortly after Borja Iglesias, with a shot from inside the area, forced Oblak to save in two periods. The mattress goalkeeper still had to act again before the break with a hand to a direct free kick launched by Andrés Guardado.
Manuel Pellegrini’s men continued to insist on the restart and found a goal already in the 48th minute, but the VAR annulled Luis Henrique’s goal for Borja Iglesias’ previous offside. The red and white response was immediate.
In a corner kick action, Antoine Griezmann put the ball very close to the heart of the small area, which passed without anyone touching it except Germán Pezzella, on the goal line, before slipping into the back of the net to overtake those of Simeone (min. 54).
The goal encouraged the people of Madrid, who sought to extend the result in a Kondogbia shot that went wide and found a prize in a combination of Matheus Cunha with Griezmann that the Frenchman was responsible for finishing with a low shot that slipped between the Rui Silva’s legs (min.71).
Even so, the Andalusians stayed in the fight, especially after Nabil Fekir, back from injury, hit a direct free kick from the front against which Oblak could do nothing (min. 84). Already in 90, Álex Moreno found himself with the crossbar when the whole Villamarín seemed to celebrate the tie.
DATASHEET.
–RESULT: REAL BETIS, 1 – ATLÉTICO DE MADRID, 2 (0-0, at halftime).
–ALIGNMENTS.
REAL BETIS: Rui Silva; Sabaly (Ruibal, min.76), Pezzella, Luiz Felipe (Víctor Ruiz, min.20), Álex Moreno; Guido Rodríguez, Guardado (Fekir, min.75); Luiz Henrique (Juan Cruz, min.65), William Carvalho, Rodri (Joaquín, min.65); and Borja Iglesias.
ATLETICO DE MADRID: Oblak; Molina, Savic, Giménez, Reinildo; Correa (Joao Félix, min.76), Kondogbia, Witsel, Saúl (De Paul, min.86); Morata (Cunha, min.59) and Griezmann (Carrasco, min.76).
–GOALS:
0-1, min.54: Griezmann.
0-2, min.71: Griezmann.
1-2, min.84: Fekir.
–REFEREE: Gil Manzano (C.Extremeño). He admonished Guido Rodríguez (min.58) and Rui Silva (min.88) by Real Betis and Nahuel Molina (min.38), Morata (min.57) and Kondogbia (min.69) by Atlético de Madrid.
–STADIUM: Benito Villamarin.