If there was still any doubt about Girona’s status as a contender for the League title, Míchel’s team was in charge of clearing it up with an exciting exchange of blows against Atlético. He thus distanced the Colchonero team from the fight for the trophy and remained head to head with Real Madrid at the top of the championship.
Four blows from the ugly duckling turned swan, the last from Iván Martín in stoppage time, turned Morata’s meritorious hat-trick into a dead letter. It was in an unforgettable waste of offensive exuberance but also of defensive carelessness that Girona, faithful to his style, the one that has taken him so far in a first round for history, presented as a give and take without respite.
The co-leader’s performance was vibrant. He knew that it was a night to confirm his candidacy for everything and at the beginning he exhibited the vertigo of Savinho, who served the center for Dovbyk’s error in the shot with everything in his favor. The warning disconcerted Atlético, in shock when moments later they conceded Valery’s great goal, as successful in the shot as it was little overwhelmed by the mattress defense.
Girona
Gazzaniga, Yan Couto, Eric García, Blind, Miguel Gutiérrez, Iván Martín, Aleix García, Savinho (Portu, min. 89), Valery (Solís, min. 59), Pablo Torre (Arnau, min. 67) and Dovbyk (Stuani , min. 67).
4
–
3
Atlético
Oblak, Llorente, Witsel, Giménez, Hermoso, Lino (Molina, min. 46), Riquelme (Correa, min. 77), Koke, De Paul (Memphis, min. 86), Griezmann (Saúl, min. 89) and Morata (Azpilicueta, min. 89).
Goals: 1-0: min. 2, Valery. 1-1: min. 14, Morata. 2-1: min. 27, Savinho. 3-1: min. 39, Blind. 3-2. min. 44, Morata. 3-3: min. 54, Morata. 4-3: min. 91, Iván Martín.
Referee: Hernández Hernández (Canarian Committee). He admonished Hermoso.
Incidents: Match on matchday 19 in First Division played in Montilivi before 13,804 spectators.
With the score already against, Simeone’s team reacted, beginning to charge from the right, where Cholo redoubled the bet with Llorente in the lane and Riquelme as an interior player. His meritorious way of dealing with an adverse start was rewarded through the work of Morata, who rescued a ball headed by Griezmann and converted it into the tie with brilliant driving and finishing.
Atlético had managed to redirect the development of events towards their own territory, as Simeone always proposes, when a blunder by Koke, who was slow to turn and release the ball in a delicate area, was taken advantage of by Iván Martín, who stole and rehearsed the shot, repelled by Oblak before the merciless execution of the electric Savinho. Once again, Girona is in its element when playing Russian roulette. Míchel’s team exudes courage, enjoying the back and forth. With the game wide open, they prevailed in their persistence, with Dovbyk extending with the toe for Blind’s signature at the far post.
Final script twist
Atlético seemed knocked out when Morata appeared again to the rescue. A very sweet moment for the Madrid striker, who was even able to tie the game before the break, with a goal disallowed for offside and also with a volley on the turn. It was the epilogue to a first half to remember, a colorful exchange of blows without respite caused by two teams dedicated to the attack but with little defensive rigor.
After having overcome a critical situation, Atlético faced the resumption of the match better. He pushed and pushed until Gazzaniga became the local hero. The Colchonero team deserved the equalizer and only Morata could sign it, once again excellent in unmarking and finishing above the goalkeeper’s exit to take advantage of the great previous leadership of Rodrigo de Paul.
This time Atlético did not settle for a draw, aware of the points difference with a direct rival. They went with everything for the game and at times deserved to culminate a dream comeback in a duel that, yes, as a result of general fatigue, faced its final stretch with one gear less. Everyone already accepted the draw when Iván Martín slipped between Koke and Llorente and invented a left-footed shot into Oblak’s own corner. Everything comes out for Girona, thrown into a head-to-head with Madrid that the colchoneros, deserving of something more, are already contemplating from a distance.
2024-01-03 22:58:11
#Girona #rules #Atlético #headtohead #Madrid
