MADRID (REUTERS) - Atletico Madrid kept up their pursuit of La Liga leaders Barcelona by beating Leganes 1-0 at home on Saturday (March 9) as coach Diego Simeone rotated his squad in preparation for next week's Champions League game against Juventus.
Midfielder Saul Niguez struck the only goal of the match, following up to score on the rebound in the 50th minute after his penalty was saved.
Atletico, who travel to Serie A champions Juventus on Tuesday defending a 2-0 lead in the last-16 second leg, were without first-choice defenders Lucas Hernandez, Diego Godin and Filipe Luis, allowing 21-year-old Colombian full back Andres Solano to make his debut.
Simeone withdrew talismanic forward and usual penalty taker Antoine Griezmann at halftime, bringing on Saul in his place, and he left in-form striker Alvaro Morata on the bench to keep him fresh for the trip to Turin.
The win took second-placed Atletico on to 56 points, four behind leaders Barcelona who play Rayo Vallecano later on Saturday, and eight clear of Real Madrid, who visit Real Valladolid on Sunday.
Atletico coach Simeone admitted he had one eye on the Juventus match.
"We try to win every game while also looking after our needs and that's how I managed the game today," he told a news conference.
"It's normal, because Tuesday's game is very important but whenever we plan ahead we always try to ensure we know what to do in the first game, we play in the way we think is most appropriate and we try to win it."
Atletico got their breakthrough when Angel Correa was fouled by Kenneth Omeruo in the area and Saul produced a soft shot from the spot which was parried by Andriy Lunin.
Leganes, whose players wore their mothers' names on the back of their shirts the day after International Women's Day, had a penalty appeal turned down in added time when Jose Arnaiz went over from a challenge from Rodrigo.
"I'm a bit frustrated because it was a very even game, they created very few chances although we didn't create much either," said Leganes coach Mauricio Pellegrino.
"The penalty decision changed the game and made things very difficult for us, and we lacked that cutting edge you need in a game like this."
90min Videos Marcus Rashford In The Form Of His Life! English (US) · Español · Português (Brasil) · Français (France) · Deutsch.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer: Marcus Rashford is in the form of his life
thepeoplesperson.com/2019/01/21/ole-gunnar-solskjaer-marcus-rashford-is-in-the-form-of-his-life-205375/
Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was in awe of Marcus Rashford's talent following his match-winning performance vs Brighton. Paul Pogba opened the scoring through a penalty he won but
Marcus Rashford Bio, Age, Height, Career, Personal Life, Net
Football: Tributes pour in for Stoke's England World Cup
Unfinished Business | Deadliest Catch
Football: Man City come from two goals down to reach FA Cup
Play Kahoot! - Enter game PIN here
LONDON • British crash investigators are two days into an underwater operation to recover a body from the wreckage of the plane carrying Argentinian striker Emiliano Sala in the English Channel..
UK rescuers launch bid to recover body from Sala's plane
Football: Kean scores for Juventus despite racial abuse but Bonucci says forward partly to blame for inciting crowd Football News & Top Stories. Source by THEOFFICALZUKUS used under Creative Commons license.
Moise Kean: Raheem Sterling says Leonardo Bonucci racism
sportypoint.com/moise-kean-raheem-sterling-says-leonardo-bonucci-racism-comments-laughable/
Leonardo Bonucci's suggestion that Juventus team-mate Moise Kean was partly to blame for the racist abuse he received from Cagliari fans is laughable, says Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling. Kean, 19, spread his arms while facing the crowd after scoring Juve's second goal in Tuesday's Serie A win.
Kean subject to racist abuse, Juve teammate Bonucci says he
Neymar visits recovering Pele in hospital. By AFP Neymar has paid a visit to Brazilian football legend Pele, who has been in hospital in Paris since April 3.
Neymar visits recovering Pele in hospital - World Soccer Talk
worldsoccertalk.com/2019/04/08/neymar-visits-recovering-pele-in-hospital/
Paris (AFP) - Neymar has paid a visit to Brazilian football legend Pele, who has been in hospital in Paris since April 3. The Paris Saint-Germain forward posted a photo on his Instagram account on Monday of himself alongside a smiling Pele in his hospital bed with the two holding hands.
Neymar visits recovering Pele in hospital - msn.com
Football: The great comebacks in Champions League history
Substitute striker Javier Hernandez scored a late brace including a stoppage-time winner to help West Ham United beat Huddersfield Town 4-3. Home football; it late to see off spirited
West Ham leave it late to see off spirited Huddersfield
Al-Ain (United Arab Emirates) (AFP) - Japan cashed in on a defensive mix-up and a controversial penalty as they stunned favourites Iran 3-0 in the Asian Cup semi-finals to move one win away from
Football: 'Emotional breakdown' as Japan stun imploding Iran
Osako double saves the day for Japan. Japan's Ritsu Doan shaping to shoot before scoring his team's third goal in their 3-2 Asian Cup Group F win over Turkmenistan yesterday. The Samurai Blue
Football: Osako double saves the day for Japan in 3-2 Asian
allmysportsnews.com/soccer/football-osako-double-saves-the-day-for-japan-in-3-2-asian-cup-win-over-turkmenistan/
Football: Osako double saves the day for Japan in 3-2 Asian Cup win over Turkmenistan Posted on 01/09/2019 ABU DHABI (AFP) - Yuya Osako netted a quickfire double as former champions Japan survived a scare to beat Turkmenistan 3-2 in their Asian Cup opener on Wednesday (Jan 9).
Football: Osako double saves the day for Japan in 3-2 Asian
Football: Man City surge clear through Sterling as Spurs suffer
Both matches will be played on the weekend of 6-7 April. The FA Cup semi-final draw. Manchester City v Brighton. Watford v Wolves. Watch all of the latest FA Cup highlights and reaction here
Manchester City to face Brighton in FA Cup semi-final while
Hugo Lloris believes that Tottenham Hotspur will face the most in-form team in the Premier League when they go up against Liverpool at Anfield. The North London outfit travel to Merseyside on the
Hugo Lloris fears Tottenham may have to WIN Champions League
0 Kommentare:
Kommentar veröffentlichen