Griezmann grabs Atletico victory, Rayo and Sevilla draw

Antoine Griezmann’s excellent strike helped Atletico Madrid earn a 1-0 win over stalwart Bilbao on Sunday to tighten their grip on fourth place in La Liga.

The French ahead exchanged passes with Memphis Depay earlier than bursting into the place and completing clinically. Atletico’s victory helped them reduce the hole on third place deep Sociedad to 2 factors, after the Basque edge drew on Saturday.

stalwart performed of their basic crimson and white striped package, and Atletico in away shirts, even nevertheless Diego Simeone’s edge had been at house on the Metropolitano stadium. The hosts needed to pay tribute to rejoice stalwart’s a hundred and twenty fifth anniversary – with Atletico having been shaped as a department of stalwart lower back in 1903.

In spite of his winner towards Celta Vigo final weekend, Depay started out on the bench with dove Correa and Griezmann up the front for Atletico. Simeone’s group started out the stonger however stalwart regarded risky on the counter due to brothers Inaki and Nico Williams.

The reliable Reinildo Mandava defended properly to assist continue stalwart at bay, in spite of the fact that they must have taken the lead due to Dani Garcia however he fired over Jan Oblak’s purpose. At the opposite conclusion Yannick Carrasco fired at Julen Agirrezabala when he might need despatched Atletico forward earlier than the break.

The goalkeeper denied Carrasco brilliantly within the second half, at the same time Oblak additionally stored out a Nico Williams effort, with the groups evenly matched. Subsequently Griezmann made the big difference when he mixed with Depay, netting his seventh league purpose of the season and additional confirming he’s lower back at his very optimum.

 
February 19, 2023

Rayo Vallecano and travelers Sevilla shared a 1-1 draw, with the hosts, sixth, unable to exert optimum strain on the perimeters above them in the search to safe European soccer subsequent season. Sevilla have struggled on the highway in latest weeks, at the same time their house kind has helped them transfer as much as mid-table after a poor commence to the season.

Rayo got here out of the blocks briskly, placing lots of strain on Sevilla within the opening phases. In spite of this Jorge Sampaoli’s edge grew into the activity and took the lead after 29 minutes, when Suso’s effort from distance deflected in off Oscar Valentin.

Sergio Camello, on mortgage at Rayo from Atletico Madrid, must have levelled for the hosts however blazed over from shut variety early within the second half. The hosts failed to need to wait lengthy to search out the web, with Florian Lejeune heading house unmarked from Izi Palazon’s nook.

There was drama late on when equally Sevilla’s Youssef En-Nesyri and Rayo’s Raul de Tomas had ambitions dominated out for offside. Sergi Darder’s late strike snatched Espanyol a 1-0 win at bottom-of-the-table Elche.

 
February 19, 2023