Atlético de Madrid took three points from San Mamés that they perhaps did not deserve, after Sorloth set up a lethal counterattack for Correa in stoppage time to deactivate the Athletic defence, which made two consecutive errors that exposed Yeray and Lekue. It was the hearts of Valverde’s men that stopped when, at full speed, they tried to add another victory, without speculating for a second. Simeone’s team breaks a streak of more than a year of an impregnable San Mamés.
0
Julen Agirrezabala, Yuri Berchiche, Íñigo Lekue, Yeray Álvarez, Dani Vivian, Nico Williams, Ander Herrera (Mikel Jauregizar, min. 63), Iñaki Williams (Alex Berenguer, min. 70), Oihan Sancet (Unai Gómez, min. 80) , Beñat Prados (Mikel Vesga, min. 63) and Gorka Guruzeta (Álvaro Djaló, min. 63)
1
Juan Musso, Robin Le Normand, Reinildo, José Giménez, Marcos Llorente, Samuel Lino (Alexander Sørloth, min. 69), Koke (Ángel Correa, min. 87), Pablo Barrios, Conor Gallagher (Rodrigo De Paul, min. 69) , Antoine Griezmann (Giuliano Simeone, min. 83) and Julián Alvarez (Rodrigo Riquelme, min. 69)
Goals
0-1 min. 91: Correa
Referee Alejandro Jose Hernandez Hernandez
Yellow cards
Nico Williams (min. 14), Yeray (min. 33), O. Sancet (min. 34), Koke (min. 84)
On a cool afternoon, with rain at the beginning that fell heavily at times, the first half was rough but not rough, light but barely digestible. Athletic tried to push and Atlético defended, but Valverde’s men seemed more uncomfortable than Simeone’s players, who blocked the flanks so as not to make things difficult for the Williams brothers. Very attentive in their help, the colchoneros forced Sancet to turn around, trying to find someone who could move inside, without ever finding them.
Atlético planted the threat of Julián Alvarez up front, although the Argentine international also did not find the collaboration of his teammates. He had the clearest chance of the first half, but it was the Athletic players who provided it. A communication error between Lekue and Yeray left Alvarez in a position to shoot at Agirrezabala, but Yuri crossed and cleared it for a corner.
That action and a tight shot from Gallagher were the balance of the offensive for Atlético, but Athletic did not manage to shoot at the goal of Musso, substitute for Oblak, who spent the previous night vomiting.
The second half began with a warning for the Madrid team. In the first action, Athletic linked up a play between Nico, Sancet and Iñaki, which ended with a parallel cross that his brother finished off to score. The linesman raised the flag that was ratified by the VAR after a moment of suspense. Nico’s knee bend saved Atlético. After the shock, the two teams returned to the path they had taken in the first half, but after the first three changes ordered by Valverde, Athletic took a step forward with Jauregizar as a catalyst and source of energy.
The pressure was on the Atlético players, who were not keeping the ball at their feet for long. Bilbao moved more freely around the edge of the box and made several dangerous attempts. Sancet tested Musso with a hard shot, which the experienced Argentine goalkeeper deflected to a corner in his best intervention. The ball belonged to Athletic and so did the game, and the Madrid team played closer to their goalkeeper. Without too many shots on goal, Valverde’s men persisted, and in one of those, Unai Gómez received the ball from Djaló, went back along the byline and, three metres from the goal, passed back, but found no red and white shirt to push into the net.
But in the midst of the attack, with Giuliano, Simeone’s son, making his debut at the Cathedral, with Athletic’s defence pushed into the Atlético half, and already in injury time, Correa, who had only been on the pitch for a few minutes, was faster than his defenders when Sorloth, after stealing the ball, passed it to him in depth. He was cool and clever when facing Agirrezabala, whom he beat without an empty goal after setting him down with a long dribble.
In the remaining minutes of extra time, Athletic could do nothing to remedy the damage and Sorloth even appeared in front of the Bilbao goalkeeper again, who this time saved the shot.
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