All will be decided in the Calderón
Atletico Madrid had victory almost in the bag before Hélder Postiga leveled the match in stoppage time. A great game by Courtois could not stop the last kick. The Vicente Calderón will decide the winners next Tuesday.
Valencia: Guaita, Joao Pereira, Ricardo Costa, Mathieu Bernat (Canales, 72'); Parejo, Javi Fuego; Fede (Piatti, 77'), Michel (Feghouli , 62'), Guardado and Hélder Postiga . Valencia and Atletico Madrid took to the Mestalla pitch with bright ideas. Atletico pressed on every possession and looked to recover and not let the players have time to think on the ball while Valencia worked the ball trying to find a way to get closer to the goal of Courtois.Valencia 1-1 Atletico Madrid
Atletico Madrid: Courtois, Juanfran, Miranda, Alderweireld, Filipe Luis, Raul Garcia, Guilavogui (Arda Turan , 58’), Gabi, Koke (Tiago, 80'), Adrián (Cristian Rodriguez 67') and Diego Costa.
Referee: Clos Gómez
GOALS:
0-1. 72' Raul Garcia
1-1 . 93’ Hélder Postiga
Simeone's team was changed at the last minute with Alderweireld coming in for Godin due to muscle discomfort. The manager decided to start Guilavogui and the Frenchman did not disappoint, forming a good partnership with captain Gabi. Koke and Raul Garcia occupied the wings with Adrian and Diego Costa looking to create danger for the Valencia defense.
Valencia had the first chance of the game with a header in the 10th minute but Parejo not find the target. After a start with more possession, Atletico grew in to the game and looked dangerous every time they had the ball. On the half-hour mark came two clear chances for Atletico. The first a header from Diego Costa after a cross from Filipe Luis, and then, immediately afterwards, a big save from Guaita from Raúl García after good work from Diego Costa and Adrian.
In the final stretch of the first half Atletico had another chance, with the ball falling to Diego Costa inside the area but the defender stopped the effort from the Spanish-Brazilian striker. Atletico Madrid were the better side in the first half and looked solid defensively and did not allow Valencian to create chances.
The second half started with Valencia dominating things, which forced Atletico to be focused and Courtois had to be at his best. And he was after a shot from the edge of the area from Bernat with a spectacular stop after 51 minutes.
Simeone decided that there must be changes in the game. Arda Turan came on for Guilavogui then Cristian Rodriguez replace Adrian. The team responded positively and slowly got back in to the game and after 72 minutes, at a set piece Raúl García took advantage of a poor clearance by Guaita to make it 1-0 to the visitors.
Valencia launched a fierce attack and Atletico had to be at their best, especially the Belgian goalkeeper who looker unbeatable but in injury time they couldn’t hold out any longer with Hélder Postiga leveling things up an making for an exciting return leg in the Calderon next Tuesday.
