Atlético de Madrid - Athletic Club
Matchday 18
Liga

Atlético de Madrid - Athletic Club

Atlético de Madrid
Atlético de Madrid
23
Athletic Club
Athletic Club
  • 16' Ion Vélez (Key not found (generic.pp))
  • 92' Forlán
  • Koikili 45'
  • Llorente 49'66'

LocationVicente Calderón , Madrid

Victory at the Calderón

Athletic Club defeated Atlético de Madrid by 2-3. Athletic’s goals have been work of Llorente…

Athletic Club

Athletic Club defeated Atlético de Madrid by 2-3. Athletic’s goals have been work of Llorente 2 and Koikili. Antonio Lopez and Diego Forlán scored for Atlético de Madrid.

A clear and well-deserved victory that obtained by our team at an always difficult field. The rojiblanco’s superiority was total during the whole ninety minutes and, as in both previous matches disputed in 2009, Athletic has known to confidently react with the marker against, in this case even turn things around. We can say that the 2-3 does not reflect the difference between both teams, but in the end the reward is identical. With the today’s three points, besides continuing the good run of unbeaten matches (six in the Liga and one in Copa) our team is positioned in the middle of the table, with relegation further than the previous week and with more teams in contention. The immediate objective, having exceeded last season’s points at this point, would be to defeat Valencia on Sunday in San Mamés, but during the week Athletic Club has an even more important appointment and that between us all have to turn into a reality: to classify for the Copa quarterfinals. The worse to come out of the victory at the Calderón has been the fifth yellow card for Amorebieta, which will prevent him from playing against Valencia, and the blows received by David Lopez and Iraizoz.

The match, since warm-up, began with snow ball throwing against Iraizoz with the intention of cooling him off, and ended with frozen local stands. Yet, those responsible of avoiding that our goalie become a toy doll, reacted much later than was due. An example of their lack of diligence was that the match referee opted, first, to delay kick-off and, later, stop it in the minute 5:22 of play, since the integrity of the players, mainly Iraizoz’, was in danger.

When play was re-started the panorama was not that much different than that showing a solid Athletic, with preconceived tasks from pressure when it came time for the colchoneros to play the ball. The truth is that it’s possible to say that the hosts did not enjoy the serenity to set plays at any time. As they stole the ball rather high, Athletic arrived to the rival area with relative ease. In fact, Leo Franco had to intervene in the minute 7 to a shot from Orbaiz and Koikili sent the ball high in the minute 13. Unfortunately, the lack of the news by Atlético did not hide its well-known effectiveness and in the 16th minute Antonio Lopez received a corner serve, trimmed the area and, with his bad leg, shot on goal; with the bad luck for our interests that the ball entered the goalmouth after bumping into Ion Vélez.

The game did not change, simply because Athletic was not bothered and decided to carry on its way. The intensity, the pace, nor the determination with which the match was confronted seemed to decrease. It’s been a confidence test of the team’s own capabilities. Consequently, Ion Vélez finished off with his heel a minute later, in the 20th Llorente penetrated the area but in the one-on-one Leo Franco prevailed, Koikili was already menacing and, from a distance, he shot wide in the minute 24; David Lopez was caught by the bull in the penalty spot at the half hour of play and in the later cross by Susaeta, Llorente was unable to finish off the header.

The local fans saw from concrete gestures of disapproval the incapacity of their team to create danger and in the second half even requested that their coach resign. Athletic insisted on showing good game and little aim, like Llorente in middle of the area in the minute 37 after Ion Vélez’ run and later excellent ball steal from Ujfalusi. Not even like that. Continue insisting and during the two-minute snowy extra time, Koikili thought that to third would be the last and shot hard from outside the area to beat Leo Franco. The draw was too little prize for the work of some and others, but it was a moral push of incalculable dimensions and the story of the past Liga was repeated with similar script and identical outcome.

Seitaridis was sent to the bench, Pernía came in and Antonio Lopez was positioned in the right wing. The scene was the same and after a play in which Kun Agüero demanded a penalty that seemed not to exist, the bad luck of the 1-0 turned good in the 1-2 play. Llorente stole the ball from Ujfalusi in the midfield and dribbled toward the area, once there he shot with his left and the ball, after striking Domínguez, went into the net. For Athletic Club it was all the same, as it didn’t change their way of playing at all. In fact, just five minutes later a goal by Ion Vélez was disallowed for being offside after Javi Martinez combed the corner serve.

In the opposing team the only thing Aguirre’s men was storing were cards, perhaps less than deserved and in some cases even different colour. In one of these, David Lopez ended up injured, and was later replaced by Gabilondo. Aguirre tried to reinforce his lost midfield by bringing on Banega to replace Domínguez moving Camacho to centre back. In his new position the referee forgave him the second yellow.
In the unchangeable dynamics, Gabilondo, who had just come on, escaped his rival and ran towards the area to set a precise cross which Llorente turned into his eighth goal of the current Liga.

The local’s were more and more devoid of reaction capacity. Kun Agüero barely missed wide in the 68, shortly before Toquero substituted Vélez and Sinama came in for Maxi. As if the destiny of the match was not designed beforehand, Maniche was booked with the red card in the minute 72; just what they needed. In the 78, Caparrós introduced Etxeberria to replace Susaeta, who played as second forward, and moved Toquero to the right band.

In the midst of the sensation of having all the work done Kun Agüero, we’d like to think because he was seized by the ruling impotence in his team, stepped on Javi Martinez, with no ball or sanction in the way, when he was on the ground.

Curiously, when our players had it best was when they worse read the match and they lacked the seriousness to move the ball from side to side to totally drive the rival mad. A team that has, if anything, individual quality up front and in injury time, with a lucky bounce, Kun and Forlán scored the 2-3. An optical illusion, but one that grants the same number of points as any other win would because of the goals. And that is what it was about, continue adding notches to the good run of consecutive winning matches (six in Liga and a draw in Copa) and what better way to do it than with the second away victory and at the hand of the game and fighting spirit necessary for the occasion, because each match is a very different story and this weekend, in addition, the snow has been the featured guest to football and its surroundings. Let the winning streak continue in Copa.