The Metropolitano witnessed a comeback (3-1) with some controversy
MADRID, 13 Abr. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Atlético de Madrid beat Girona FC 3-1 this Saturday on matchday 31 of LaLiga EA Sports, thanks to a match with some controversy and where two goals from Antoine Griezmann, along with another from Ángel Correa, have given the team colchonero a vital victory in their pursuit of the third place that the people of Girona still hold.
The Cívitas Metropolitano opened its doors just three days after the victory (2-1) against Borussia Dortmund, in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals. And before visiting Signal Iduna Park to decide the semifinalist, Atlético had a tough nut to crack here.
Míchel Sánchez’s pupils, in a campaign with historic overtones, wanted to win this duel to keep their distance from Diego Pablo Simeone’s men. And with that in mind, Girona’s first approach to the rival goal ended in 0-1. Savinho started with the ball from the left side and surpassed two lines of mattress pressure.
The visitors’ number 16 assisted on the other side, where Yan Couto first crossed low into the small area, and Artem Dovbyk pushed that goal at the far post at will. Mario Hermoso broke the offside penalty and, before the 4th minute had passed, the Catalan team already had the score in their favor.
Atlético responded after a quarter of an hour, with a shot by Rodrigo De Paul from the edge of the area that tripped on an opponent, losing strength. Until the half hour mark, the locals had generated little or nothing in attack, but everything changed after a foul by Yangel Herrera on the left wing.
Despite being a little far away, Griezmann put it at the far post in the Girona area and Hermoso headed in. Girona’s left-back, Miguel Gutiérrez, jumped in that area with his left arm raised and the ball hit his hand; The referee De Burgos Bengoechea signaled a maximum penalty and Griezmann scored 1-1 with a low left foot shot that hit the post.
When the break was on the clock, Savinho ran towards the mattress area, made a break on De Paul and advanced a few meters, until Reinildo appeared with impetus to stand in his way. The referee saw the collision up close, but did not interpret it as something punishable and the visiting players were angry, as was their coach on the sideline.
Míchel’s protest did not get the VAR to interfere nor did it get De Burgos Bengoechea to change his mind. Meanwhile, Saúl Ñíguez had been replaced by Álvaro Morata, due to some physical discomfort, and that hurt a Girona team lacking concentration in the 2-1 lead.
MORATA’S INSISTENCE
When the sixth minute added to the first half passed, Morata increased his pressure and caused a loss in the rival defense. Nahuel Molina, who had intervened in the action, stayed still to avoid being offside; The red and white ’19’ prevented the ball from going over the baseline with a ‘Marseillaise’ and connected a great cross into the area.
Behind David López and in front of Miguel Gutiérrez, Correa emerged to make a header and the ball entered the top corner, without goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga being able to prevent it. After the break, a mistake by Jhon Solís when clearing a cross from De Paul served as a prelude to the 3-1, the work of Griezmann with a right hand on the turn.
Except for a shot by Dovbyk and another shot that the same Ukrainian striker could not connect from point-blank range, Girona only bothered Oblak more, who from a distance saw how his team also came close to scoring. In the 71st minute, Molina sent a shot from the right wing into an empty goal as Gazzaniga had moved through a defensive combination.
And a little later, Morata crashed a shot into the side of the post after a personal play. With temperance, ‘Cholo’ Simeone’s pupils managed the pace of the match and scared off any attempt at their opponent’s comeback. This victory brought the colchoneros up to 61 points, precisely four less than Girona.
DATASHEET.
–RESULT: ATLÉTICO DE MADRID, 3 – GIRONA, 1 (2-1, at half-time).
–ALIGNMENTS.
ATLÉTICO DE MADRID: Oblak; Molina, Savic, Hermoso, Reinildo (Witsel, min.46); Riquelme (Lino, min.69), Koke, De Paul (Azpilicueta, min.75), Saúl (Morata, min.41); Griezmann (Llorente, min.68) and Correa.
GIRONA: Gazzaniga; Couto, Eric García, David López (A.Martínez, min.65), Blind, Miguel Gutiérrez; Aleix García, Herrera (Porto, min.65), Solís (Torre, min.57); Savinho (Valery, min.83) and Dovbyk (Stuani, min.83).
–GOALS:
0-1, min. 4: Dovbyk.
1-1, min.34: Griezmann (p).
2-1, min.45+6: Strap.
3-1, min.50: Griezmann.
–REFEREE: From Burgos Bengoechea (C.Vasco). He gave a yellow card to Saúl (min.25), Correa (min.35) and Llorente (min.90 + 2) for Atlético de Madrid, and Herrera (min.32) and Couto (min.70) in Girona.
–STADIUM: Cívitas Metropolitano, 64,214 spectators.
2024-04-13 14:12:23
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