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IMAGE: Atletico Madrid’s Rodrigo Riquelme in motion with Actual Betis’ German Pezzella. {Photograph}: Juan Medina/Reuters
Atletico Madrid secured a hard-fought 2-1 residence victory over Actual Betis in La Liga on Sunday because of an own-goal by Rui Silva and a header by Alvaro Morata as Diego Simeone’s facet ended a three-game winless run in all competitions.
The hosts got here into the match licking their wounds after a humbling 3-0 defeat within the Copa del Rey semis at Athletic Bilbao in midweek, and in determined want of a win to strengthen their grip on a top-four spot in La Liga.
Atletico moved to 55 factors in fourth place within the standings. They’re two factors behind third-placed Barcelona and 6 forward of Athletic Bilbao in fifth, who face one another in Bilbao in a while Sunday. Actual Madrid are high on 66 factors.
IMAGE: Atletico Madrid’s Alvaro Morata shoots at purpose. {Photograph}: Juan Medina/Reuters
They began properly and pressured Betis early on, with Rodrigo de Paul hitting the publish with a close-range strike within the third minute.
Atletico’s relentless strain led to the opening purpose when a collection of catastrophic errors by the Betis defence ended with a miscommunication between three gamers whereas making an attempt to clear a Memphis Depay cross.
That induced a pinball impact with the ball ricocheting between them earlier than bouncing off goalkeeper Silva straight into his personal internet within the eighth minute.
Morata, who had missed a penalty kick earlier within the recreation, prolonged the hosts’ lead with a header from a rebound off the goalkeeper within the forty fourth minute.
IMAGE: Atletico Madrid’s Memphis Depay celebrates with teammates after Actual Betis’ Rui Silva scores a purpose and Atletico Madrid’s first. {Photograph}: Juan Medina/Reuters
Nonetheless, Betis acquired again into the sport when William Carvalho got here off the bench to cut back the deficit with an outstanding strike from vary into the highest nook within the 61st minute and Atletico’s goalkeeper Jan Oblak’s heroics enabled them to safe a a lot wanted residence win.
Oblak made two reflex saves to disclaim close-range strikes earlier than making two excellent one-handed stops to disclaim late efforts by William Jose and Guido Rodriguez that helped Atletico prolong their unbeaten streak at residence to 25 LaLiga matches.
IMAGE: Bayer Leverkusen’s Alejandro Grimaldo celebrates scoring their second purpose with teammates. {Photograph}: Wolfgang Rattay/Reuters
Leverkusen down Cologne
Bayer Leverkusen went 10 factors away from second-placed Bayern Munich with a 2-0 Bundesliga win over struggling neighbours Cologne, who had been lowered to 10-men within the first half of a hotly-contested Rhein derby on Sunday.
Leverkusen prolonged their unbeaten run to 34 video games in all competitions this season and now have 64 factors. They prolonged their lead over Bayern, who drew 2-2 at Freiburg on Friday.
Cologne had Jan Thielmann despatched off after 14 minutes and Leverkusen took the lead by Jeremie Frimpong forward of the break earlier than Alex Grimaldo netted his ninth league purpose of the season within the 73rd to finish Cologne’s courageous struggle.
Leverkusen, seeking to win their first league title, made the brief journey throughout the Rhine river, the place the one relaxed determine within the raucous stadium was Cologne’s mascot Hennes the goat who munched fortunately pitchside oblivious to the stress.
Tempers flared within the twelfth minute after a foul from behind by Thielmann on midfielder Granit Xhaka and, though the referee initially solely awarded a free kick, Thielmann was proven the pink card after a VAR test.
IMAGE: Bayer Leverkusen’s Alejandro Grimaldo scores their second purpose. {Photograph}: Wolfgang Rattay/Reuters
Regardless of the additional man, Leverkusen struggled to create any clear-cut possibilities till the thirty seventh minute.
Grimaldo’s cross was flicked on by Patrik Schick and Frimpong tapped residence from shut vary for his eighth league purpose this season as Leverkusen took a 1-0 lead into the break.
Six minutes after the interval, Cologne had an opportunity to degree when Rasmus Carstensen’s cross was met by the unmarked Sargis Adamyan, however his volley hit the publish with goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky properly overwhelmed.
Leverkusen laboured, regardless of the additional man, and supervisor Xabi Alonso despatched on Borja Iglesias and Amine Adli with 25 minutes left and eight minutes later Adli’s work arrange the second purpose.
He pulled the ball again from the purpose line to the sting of the six-yard field and Grimaldo’s first time shot took a slight deflection off Cologne defender Julian Chabot and went by the legs of keeper Marvin Schwabe.
Leverkusen simply noticed out the remainder of the sport and, with 10 matches left, they are going to now be anticipated to go from “Neverkusen” to taking the crown away from Bayern, winners of the final 11 Bundesliga titles, regardless of their gamers urging warning for now.
Cologne’s defeat leaves them in sixteenth – the relegation playoff spot – on 17 factors, eight adrift of the security zone.
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