Super Mario decides the game in Lima
A goal from the homegrown midfielder gave us the first victory in the Euroamerican Cup. The midfielder put it in the top corner from outside the box in the final stages to give the side a deserved win.
SPORTING CRISTAL 0 - 1 ATLETICO MADRID
Sporting Cristal: Penny, Uribe, Alvarez, Ayr, Quina, Calcaterra, Cazulo, Lobaton, Sheput (Arroe 46 '), Avila and Ross.
Atletico Madrid: Courtois, Juanfran, Miranda, Demichelis, Filipe, Gabi, (Leo Baptistão, 60 ') Koke, Tiago (Mario Suarez, 68'), Arda (Aquino, 68 '), Raul Garcia (Adrian, 60') and Diego Costa.
Goals:
0-1. Mario Suarez
Lima welcomed Atletico Madrid in the second game of the Euroamericana Cup. A total football party with a touching moment of silence before the kick off in memory of two young Peruvian players who died recently. Both teams wore armbands in memory of the deceased.
With the ball in motion it was Diego Pablo Simeone’s men who took control of the game in the early stages, drowning the Peruvians aggressive pressure. Diego Costa caused problems for the Peruvian defence throughout the match and the first change of the game fell to him. The Brazilian stood face to face with Penny but his shot did not get past the Peru international goalkeeper.
Sporting Cristal were not able to perform their usual passing game and were overwhelmed by the superiority of the side from Madrid, they looked to catch out Miranda and Demichelis with quick counter attacks. With Gabi, Tiago and Koke in the midfield, the red and white held firm and began to create dangerous attacks of their own. They cmae close to scoring thanks to a strong shot from Raul Garcia a good header from Koke and Coast again in a one on one.
Atletico Madrid were in control of the game with Filipe and Juanfran joining in the attacks from fullback causing danger to the Peruvian goal but despite the control and chances, the teams went in all square at the break.
Nothing changed after the break and Atleti came close thanks to a beautiful attack lead by Koke and executed by Raul Garcia, but his effort went just wide. Not long after that the magic of Arda created an opportunity for Filipe who came up against the Peruvian goalkeeper but the Brazilian failed to beat him.
The players began to tire and the pace slowed a little allowing Cristal to test Courtois with a shot from distance that the keeper Belgian calmly collected. Simeone made changes and gave more depth to the game introducing Leo Baptistão who forced a save from Penny who was soon becoming the hero of the game.
After so many unsuccessful chances, it was Mario Suarez who got the goal. The youth received a ball on the edge of the area, he calmly shot in to the top corner making it 1-0. The Peruvian quickly looked for the equalizer with shots from distance that didn’t trouble Courtois.
The final whistle signalled the first win on South American soil ahead of the last commitment in the Euroamericana Cup on Sunday against Nacional in Montevideo. There the team will have two reinforcements with Godin and Cristian Rodriguez joining the group.
