Atlético gets on Morata's bandwagon and wins again in another defensive festival
History did not help in this duel of football styles. The cholista Atlético de Madrid and the guardiolista Feyenoord is a territory to discover since they have never faced each other. So, the important thing was, as Simeone said in the preview, “to take the game to where damage could be done.”. If we had to choose an area, this would, without a doubt, be the defense. A line that was impressively soft at Feyenoord and, incredible as it may seem, also at Atlético. Hence the result and comeback was repeated like against Cádiz (3-2) with Morata acting as Correa. [Narrative and statistics]
It seemed logical then that the tie at two in the first half. With a Feyenoord that scored the first goal after an overwhelming first 10 minutes. With Paixao and Stengs doing a lot of damage on the wings and Ueda threatening the converted Witsel. Precisely, the Japanese found a gap behind the Dutchman and, although the shot was rejected by Oblak, the ball bounced off Hermoso, who was passing by.
The goal against did not wake up Atlético. The Dutch continued to dominate until a deep pass towards Saúl was rejected by Geertruida and Morata went ahead of the centre-backs and pocketed it before they turned. Tie with VAR suspense, which was annulled for offside at first, but which the Frenchman Letexier ended up conceding, who knows if because of the pressure that Cholo requested from the stadium. It all adds up.
The goal gave wings to Atlético who got into the game thanks to Koke and Griezmann. And then the Metropolitan experienced two miracles. One was like a central defender half a meter from the goal line took a very bad cross from Molina. Another would be celebrated by Oblak and it would be the second in the same week. If in the Cádiz game, Fali almost scored a goal from the center of the field, Wieffer tried the same and the ball went by the same few centimeters.
Feyenoord regained control at the end of the first half thanks, above all, to the fact that Witsel, who is not a central defender, must have found it rude to leave the Dutch players offside.. Between him and Azpilicueta, who fell asleep, they conceded the second goal to Feyenoord after a lateral foul that Hancock took advantage of.
Atlético suffered and the third seemed to be closer than the tie. Guardiolismo, of which the Feyenoord coach is a fan, seemed to prevail over cholismo. However, in an absurd corner in injury time. Witsel decided to fight for the ball in a small area in what seemed like the World Cup of Balloons between Piqué and Ibai until Griezmann appeared there and decided to put in the overhead kick balloon.. Swords raised for the second part.
Griezmann after finishing off a bicycle kick. AFP
The second half began with the same rhythm as the first and evidencing the same problems, that the defenses of both teams were on vacation today. The second half had just begun when a lateral cross from Molina was hammered into the back of the net by Morata with Griezman in the path of the ball and offside.. He doesn't do it to finish and it doesn't influence, but this current offside thing is like the thing with hands, you never know which way the coin will fall.
And Atlético seemed to play with a coin in the second half. Fortunately, Feyenoord always had tails or Oblak provoked that result because the Slovenian had to stop several one-on-ones that the Atlético defense conceded to the fast Dutch forwards. Inane domain.
With half a minute remaining, the rival goalkeeper climbed into the area to finish off a corner from his team.. The last time someone with gloves and yellow stepped into the Atlético area, they managed to tie the game. This time it didn't happen like in Rome against Lazio. First victory for Atlético in the Champions League and they manage to climb with four points at the head of the group with the Metropolitano becoming a fortress, this time, also in Europe. There are better feelings than last year and Morata is not the same. And thank goodness.