Atletico Madrid beat Alaves 2-1 at Wanda Metropolitano on Saturday in La Liga to maintain their excellent form since they resumed their season after the break due to Coronavirus outbreak. It was their fourth consecutive win and they have gone ahead of Sevilla by four points.
Atletico Madrid earlier started with Felix and Morata at the front, with Saul, Koke, Correa and Thomas to back them up in mid-field. The backline was predictable four.
Saul and Costa scored for Atletico
Midfielder Saul Niguez scored the first goal by powerful header from a pin-point free kick by right-back Kieran Trippier in the 59th minute. The ball went home after a heavy deflection from Alaves goalkeeper Pacheco.
Substitute Diego Costa sent goalkeeper Fernando Pacheco the wrong way from the penalty spot to double their lead in 73rd minute, after Marcus Llorente was tripped inside the penalty area.
As Atletico Madrid was about to finish the match with a clean-sheet, Alaves was awarded a penalty at the dying moments of the match. The ball touched Koke’s hand inside the box, when the Atletico captain was trying to make a sliding block. Joselu scored a penalty in injury time.
Koke will miss the Barcelona encounter next week at Camp Nou because of suspension as he earned a booking for the incident.
Atletico Madrid
Oblak; Trippier, Savić, Giménez, Lodi; Thomas, Saúl, Correa (Llorente 56’), Koke; Félix (Carrasco 65’), Morata (Costa 56’)
Alaves
Pacheco; Aguirregabiria, Ely, Tachi, Marín (Rioja 78’); Fejsa; Pons (de la Fuente 78’), Abdallahi, Méndez (Duarte 61’), Vidal (Joselu 61’); Burke (Camarasa 85’).
