Mandžukić and Griezmann, a lethal partnership
Atlético de Madrid won Eibar in Ipurúa thanks to a skilful first half, very successful when facing the goal. Griezmann opened the scoreboard and Mandžukić sentenced with two bull’s eyes.
Eibar: Irureta; Lillo, Navas, Añibarro, Abraham; Errasti (Javi Lara, 46’), Borja; Manu (Lekic, 46’), Arruabarrena (Capa, 46’), Saúl; and Piovaccari.
Atlético de Madrid: Moyá; Gámez, Giménez, Godín, Siqueira; Tiago, Saúl; Raúl García (Mario Suárez, 55’), Griezmann (Raúl Jiménez, 70’), Koke (Cani, 79’); and Mandžukić.
Referee: Pérez Montero (Andalusian Committee). Booked the locals Piovaccari (24’), Abraham (64’), Lillo (77’); and the visiting Griezmann (18’), Koke (27’).
GOALS:
0-1. 6’. Griezmann crosses to the far post to a low shot from Raúl García.
0-2. 23’. Mandžukić beats Irureta with a cross from Griezmann.
0-3. 25’. Mandžukić takes advantage of a loose ball in the box to score.
1-3. 89’. Piovaccari heads a cross from Saúl Berjón.
The game was about to be suspended due to the insistent rain but it was finally played and Atlético de Madrid took no time at all to decide it. Griezmann soon took advantage of a pass from Raúl García to open the score and Mandžukić, in two minutes, sentenced the match before the first half-hour with two goals from the striker.
It was a match of struggle, of dedication, for enduring and strong players and Simeone’s team read the match perfectly. Aim was essential to served to live a relatively quiet game, thanks to the defensive strength and to the work of the whole team. In the second half, Moyá had little to do, unlike Irureta, who saved the fourth of our goals with a header from Mandžukić.
There was time to make changes and to let Mario Suárez, Raúl Jiménez and Cani enter in the second half in which the League champion finally certified an important victory in a very difficult setting, furthermore with the mud that had formed due to the large quantity of fallen rainwater. In the end, Eibar scored the goal of honour in the last minute.
