Atlético de Madrid falls to Sevilla at the Sánchez Pizjuán (3-1)
Diego Costa, the best of the rojiblancos, scores the goal
Atlético de Madrid lost at the Sánchez Pizjuán against the determinant attacking force of Sevilla. The home side put the match in the bag in seven minutes of the first half. Goals from Negredo and Perotti, both off shots from outside the area, made things tough on Atlético, which suffered another huge blow just after the half, again from distance. The goal from Diego Costa, the best player on the day for the ‘rojiblancos’, gave them hope, but Palop took it upon himself to close out the match with an excellent save on the Brazilian. Then, in the waning moments of the encounter, a clear penalty on Diego Costa went unpunished.
Sevilla and Atlético de Madrid relived the recent Copa del Rey final won by the team from Andalusia at the Nou Camp, a match which went down in history for the excellent atmosphere provided by both teams’ fans before, during and after the clash. The match-ups between these two teams in recent seasons have been emotional, exciting, and full of goals, and this one was no different. With this early evening match on the horizon, it was a centre of attention for the world of football because two teams called upon to fight for European spots until the end of the season were on display.
Sevilla had just come off a Europa League win in Dortmund in a match which was the debut for new manager Gregorio Manzano. It was a slim victory (0-1) against Borussia that wiped away the sting of defeat from the first matchday of the Group Stage. For their part, Atlético was coming off a draw against another German side, Bayer 04 Leverkusen, living a good image after the half. The home squad was without Dabo, injured, while the ‘rojiblancos’ were missing Godín, as well as the suspended Reyes and the also injured Agüero.
Quique Sánchez Flores decided to send out a starting eleven with Paulo Assunçao, Tiago and Mario Suárez in the centre of the pitch, with Simão and Fran Mérida on the wings and Diego Forlán alone up top. Manzano also surprised with his final line-up, starting Negredo in place of Luis Fabiano, and leaving out Jesús Navas due to last-minute muscular problems.
The match started off at a fast-pace, with two teams that had studied each other well and weren’t going to concede anything. The home club, with plenty of respect for Atlético, couldn’t find out how to play the match in their style, partly because they were facing a team that was well set up on the pitch, with a ‘trivot’ in the centre of the midfield that made it tough for their opponent to string passes together.
The home squad tried to attack timidly, first through Capel with a shot saved by De Gea in minute 7, and then on a free kick taken by Romaric that was punched away by the goalkeeper in the 18th. These scares woke up Atlético de Madrid in attack and a nice play by Tiago sent through Fran Mérida into the area, but Palop was quick to rush out and make the save. The rebound fell to Forlán, who tried to catch the keeper out with a first-time volley, but it ended up off-target.
This was a prelude to the first Sevilla goal, right after a possible penalty on Domínguez, who was kicked in the head when he was getting ready to head a corner kick, but the referee didn’t see it that way. The ‘rojiblanco’ had to be attended to on the sideline, and what no ‘rojiblanco’ expected arrived. A rifle from outside the area from Negredo put the 1-0 on the scoreboard without De Gea being able to do anything to stop it. It was an isolated attack and was enough for the home team to take the lead and play the way their new manager likes, on the counter-attack. The second goal came almost without time for reaction. De Gea saved Kanouté’s initial shot, even though the player had been in an offside position that wasn’t called, and Perotti unleashed a strong volley on the rebound from outside the area that deflected off an Atleti defender and past a helpless De Gea.
Tiago tried his luck from outside the area before the break, but his shot was saved by Palop, although not without difficulties. It would have opened a door towards hope for a fight-back, but it’s also true that Negredo had a replica of his first goal but De Gea made a fine save this time to send over for a corner kick.
After the break, Quique Sánchez Flores made two substitutions, sending on Filipe Luis for Antonio López and Diego Costa for Mario Suárez. But before there was time to notice the greater depth provided to the ‘rojiblanco’ attack, Kanouté tallied the third goal. Far from giving up, Atlético de Madrid quickly pulled one back on a nice attack that finished with an accurate pass from Fran Mérida that Diego Costa turned into the 3-1.
The fans at the Sánchez Pizjuán, in spite of the lead, didn’t feel quite comfortable as shortly after Diego Costa’s goal they watched the Brazilian force Palop into a fine save inside the six-yard box. But it was impossible to cut further into the lead and get back into a match that Sevilla had in their pocket. Atlético de Madrid ended up losing three points against a Sevilla squad that has turned its fortunes around this season by making a coaching change and signing Gregorio Manzano.
SEVILLA, 3 (Negredo, Perotti and Kanouté); ATLÉTICO DE MADRID, 1 (Diego Costa)
Sevilla: Palop; Konko, Cáceres, Alexis, Fernando Navarro; Perotti, Romaric (Guarente, 84’), Renato, Capel (Alfaro, 89’); Kanouté and Negredo (Luis Fabiano, 69’).
Atlético de Madrid: De Gea; Ujfalusi, Perea, Domínguez, Antonio López (Filipe Luis, 46’); Paulo Assunçao (Raúl García, 80’), Tiago, Mario Suárez (Diego Costa, 46’); Simão, Fran Mérida; and Forlán.
Referee: Estrada Fernández. For Sevilla showed yellow cards to Diego Capel (23’), Negredo (37’), Perotti (45’) and Konko (82’); and for Atlético booked Tiago (15’), Antonio López (17’) and Simão (26’).
Incidents: Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán. Around 40,000 spectators. Matchday 6 of the League National Championship.
GOALS:
1-0. 28’. Negredo scores on a strong left-footed shot.
2-0. 35’. Perotti scores from outside the area.
3-0. 51’. Kanouté beats De Gea from distance.
3-1. 58’. Diego Costa receives a pass from Fran Mérida inside the area, dribbles Palop, shoots, and the ball goes in after deflecting off a post.
Sevilla and Atlético de Madrid relived the recent Copa del Rey final won by the team from Andalusia at the Nou Camp, a match which went down in history for the excellent atmosphere provided by both teams’ fans before, during and after the clash. The match-ups between these two teams in recent seasons have been emotional, exciting, and full of goals, and this one was no different. With this early evening match on the horizon, it was a centre of attention for the world of football because two teams called upon to fight for European spots until the end of the season were on display.
Sevilla had just come off a Europa League win in Dortmund in a match which was the debut for new manager Gregorio Manzano. It was a slim victory (0-1) against Borussia that wiped away the sting of defeat from the first matchday of the Group Stage. For their part, Atlético was coming off a draw against another German side, Bayer 04 Leverkusen, living a good image after the half. The home squad was without Dabo, injured, while the ‘rojiblancos’ were missing Godín, as well as the suspended Reyes and the also injured Agüero.
Quique Sánchez Flores decided to send out a starting eleven with Paulo Assunçao, Tiago and Mario Suárez in the centre of the pitch, with Simão and Fran Mérida on the wings and Diego Forlán alone up top. Manzano also surprised with his final line-up, starting Negredo in place of Luis Fabiano, and leaving out Jesús Navas due to last-minute muscular problems.
The match started off at a fast-pace, with two teams that had studied each other well and weren’t going to concede anything. The home club, with plenty of respect for Atlético, couldn’t find out how to play the match in their style, partly because they were facing a team that was well set up on the pitch, with a ‘trivot’ in the centre of the midfield that made it tough for their opponent to string passes together.
The home squad tried to attack timidly, first through Capel with a shot saved by De Gea in minute 7, and then on a free kick taken by Romaric that was punched away by the goalkeeper in the 18th. These scares woke up Atlético de Madrid in attack and a nice play by Tiago sent through Fran Mérida into the area, but Palop was quick to rush out and make the save. The rebound fell to Forlán, who tried to catch the keeper out with a first-time volley, but it ended up off-target.
This was a prelude to the first Sevilla goal, right after a possible penalty on Domínguez, who was kicked in the head when he was getting ready to head a corner kick, but the referee didn’t see it that way. The ‘rojiblanco’ had to be attended to on the sideline, and what no ‘rojiblanco’ expected arrived. A rifle from outside the area from Negredo put the 1-0 on the scoreboard without De Gea being able to do anything to stop it. It was an isolated attack and was enough for the home team to take the lead and play the way their new manager likes, on the counter-attack. The second goal came almost without time for reaction. De Gea saved Kanouté’s initial shot, even though the player had been in an offside position that wasn’t called, and Perotti unleashed a strong volley on the rebound from outside the area that deflected off an Atleti defender and past a helpless De Gea.
Tiago tried his luck from outside the area before the break, but his shot was saved by Palop, although not without difficulties. It would have opened a door towards hope for a fight-back, but it’s also true that Negredo had a replica of his first goal but De Gea made a fine save this time to send over for a corner kick.
After the break, Quique Sánchez Flores made two substitutions, sending on Filipe Luis for Antonio López and Diego Costa for Mario Suárez. But before there was time to notice the greater depth provided to the ‘rojiblanco’ attack, Kanouté tallied the third goal. Far from giving up, Atlético de Madrid quickly pulled one back on a nice attack that finished with an accurate pass from Fran Mérida that Diego Costa turned into the 3-1.
The fans at the Sánchez Pizjuán, in spite of the lead, didn’t feel quite comfortable as shortly after Diego Costa’s goal they watched the Brazilian force Palop into a fine save inside the six-yard box. But it was impossible to cut further into the lead and get back into a match that Sevilla had in their pocket. Atlético de Madrid ended up losing three points against a Sevilla squad that has turned its fortunes around this season by making a coaching change and signing Gregorio Manzano.
SEVILLA, 3 (Negredo, Perotti and Kanouté); ATLÉTICO DE MADRID, 1 (Diego Costa)
Sevilla: Palop; Konko, Cáceres, Alexis, Fernando Navarro; Perotti, Romaric (Guarente, 84’), Renato, Capel (Alfaro, 89’); Kanouté and Negredo (Luis Fabiano, 69’).
Atlético de Madrid: De Gea; Ujfalusi, Perea, Domínguez, Antonio López (Filipe Luis, 46’); Paulo Assunçao (Raúl García, 80’), Tiago, Mario Suárez (Diego Costa, 46’); Simão, Fran Mérida; and Forlán.
Referee: Estrada Fernández. For Sevilla showed yellow cards to Diego Capel (23’), Negredo (37’), Perotti (45’) and Konko (82’); and for Atlético booked Tiago (15’), Antonio López (17’) and Simão (26’).
Incidents: Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán. Around 40,000 spectators. Matchday 6 of the League National Championship.
GOALS:
1-0. 28’. Negredo scores on a strong left-footed shot.
2-0. 35’. Perotti scores from outside the area.
3-0. 51’. Kanouté beats De Gea from distance.
3-1. 58’. Diego Costa receives a pass from Fran Mérida inside the area, dribbles Palop, shoots, and the ball goes in after deflecting off a post.
