Athletic Bilbao Secures Late Victory Over Atletico Madrid
In a thrilling encounter at the San Mames stadium, Athletic Bilbao secured a crucial 1-0 victory over Atletico Madrid in La Liga. The decisive moment came from Alex Berenguer, whose spectacular strike from outside the box in the 85th minute proved to be the difference-maker.
Atletico Madrid, currently in fourth place, suffered their second consecutive defeat, which has widened the gap between them and leaders Barcelona. Barcelona had previously defeated Real Betis with a score of 5-3. This loss marks a significant setback for Simeone’s team, who had been on an impressive run of 13 matches without a loss before their recent defeat.
The Basque side, managed by Ernesto Valverde, showed resilience despite a challenging start to the season both domestically and in the Champions League. They faced a tough challenge against Atletico, but ultimately emerged victorious in a tightly contested match.
Berenguer’s goal was his first of the season, and it provided Athletic with three vital points. Despite the win, the match was not without its challenges. Athletic were dealt a blow when center-back Aymeric Laporte went off injured in the latter stages of the first half, forcing a substitution with Dani Vivian.
Atletico started the second half with more intensity, but Athletic gradually took control of the game. A missed opportunity came in the form of Oihan Sancet, who failed to capitalize on a chance when he had teammate Unai Gomez in a prime position to score.
Substitute Alexander Sorloth had a chance to put Atletico ahead, but his header was saved by Athletic goalkeeper Unai Simon. Just moments later, Berenguer made the decisive play, scoring the winning goal. Nico Williams provided the assist, cutting the ball back to Berenguer on the edge of the box. Berenguer then executed a spinning effort that found the back of the net, leaving Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak unable to make a save.
Despite the loss, Atletico’s midfielder Pablo Barrios expressed his frustration, stating, “We’re really annoyed… on a counter-attack they put one past us.” He also acknowledged the importance of the remaining points in the league, noting that the team had fought back from a difficult start.
Atletico faced additional challenges as they were missing key players due to injuries, including Alexa Baena, Jose Gimenez, and Marcos Llorente. However, they were able to have Robin Le Normand on the bench as a substitute after recovering from an injury.
The match highlighted the competitive nature of La Liga, with both teams displaying strong performances. While Athletic managed to secure the win, the loss will undoubtedly serve as a wake-up call for Atletico as they look to regroup and continue their pursuit of the title.