Atletico back to winning ways with narrow Granada victory
MADRID: Atletico Madrid swerved a second consecutive slip in La Liga on Saturday by squeezing past Granada 2-1 to move eight points clear at the top of the table.
Ater drawing at home to Celta Vigo on Monday, Diego Simeone’s side got back on track with a narrow victory at Los Carmenes, secured by Angel Correa’s fortuitous winner in the second half.
There was a hint of luck in Granada’s equaliser too, Yangel Herrera’s shot deflecting off Marcos Llorente, who had himself put Atletico in front only three minutes earlier.
At the full-time whistle, Simeone shook his fists and sprinted down the tunnel, his relief evident at the end of a game that could easily have seen more points dropped for his side.
Granada have been one of the stories of the season, siting eighth under Diego Lopez ater being promoted two years ago, and they were far from outclassed by La Liga’s frontrunners.
Suarez had scored in six of the previous seven games but for once the 34-year-old was not the matchwinner, with Llorente and Correa - two unsung heroes this season - instead proving the difference.
Suarez went closest to giving Atletico the lead when his shot into the ground flew up and grazed the crossbar just ater half-time.
A miscontrol by the Uruguayan at the back post saw another chance go begging but Llorente took over, nipping in from the right and dragging a shot with his let foot inside the near post.
It was the first of three goals in 11 minutes, as Herrera equalised shortly ater.
Atletico’s Yannick Carrasco and Saul Niguez were both guilty of light challenges on Jorge Molina, who battled to shit the ball into the path of Herrera, whose finish hit Llorente and crept in.
But eight minutes later, Atletico were ahead again, the final shot taken by Correa, ater more good work from Llorente. Correa weaved into space in the area, his driven effort skipping up off Jesus Vallejo and looping into the far corner.
Earlier, Striker Santi Mina scored twice as Celta Vigo showed off their talented atack in beating Elche 3-1.
Celta’s first win in seven rounds lifted them into ninth place. Elche was let second-to-last in the relegation zone.
Mina opened the scoring in the 45th minute ater he received an exquisite pass by Nolito, who used a skillful touch to redirect a ball from Iago Aspas that let Mina with only the goalkeeper to beat.
Aspas and Nolito combined again a minute later to set up Brais Méndez and give the hosts a 2-0 lead into haltime. An error by Celta goalkeeper Ruben Blanco let Elche pull one back in the 50th. Trying to avoid giving Elche a corner kick, Blanco pawed a ball that was going over the end-line back into play. The ball went directly to Elche’s Guido Carillo, who assisted Emiliano Rogini to score into an empty net.
Mina put the result beyond doubt in the 69th when he volleyed in a cross by Augusto Solari.