Elías scores a great header to grab a draw against Getafe (1-1)
Manu opened the scoring with a fortunate shot just two minute in
Atlético de Madrid rescued a point nine minutes from the final whistle in Getafe thanks to a perfect header from Elías after a measured cross from Forlán. After a first half marked by the early goal from Manu del Moral, the ‘rojiblancos’ woke up after the re-start and little-by-little began to deserve the goal. If the equalizer had come sooner, Atlético could have even come away with the victory.
One often here’s the saying about one being “a chip off the old block”. That couldn’t be truer in the case of Manu del Moral. Trained in the Atlético de Madrid youth academy, he’s a fixture in the starting line-up at Getafe and last year scored the game-winning goal against Atlético at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez, which was the first loss for the ‘rojiblancos’ at that stadium in the south of Madrid. And faithful to that date with a goal, he tallied once again against Quique Sánchez Flores on this occasion.
The start of the game wasn’t what the visitors had been hoping for. While Getafe tried to take advantage of their wingers’ speed and get in behind the Atleti defense, the red-and-whites enjoyed almost complete control of the ball. But that didn’t help them out much early on, as Manu del Moral notched the opener with a solid dose of luck, as his shot deflected off Godín and made it impossible for De Gea to make the save.
This tough blow just two minutes in tormented the ‘colchoneros’, the early goal having a clear effect on Quique Sánchez Flores’ lads, who were unable to get going, for example, as they had in their previous away match in Zaragoza, where Atleti played an excellent first half, dominated their opponent and created dangerous chances throughout. For Getafe, on the other hand, Codina hardly had to do anything, because the shots from the visitors, with the sole exception of a free kick that was easily wrapped up by the home netminder, were all off-target.
The aforementioned free kick taken by Reyes at the eight-minute mark was the quick reply from the ‘rojiblancos’, apart from a Forlán shot that whizzed by the post. Getafe looked comfortable, played on the counter-attack, and their solid back line didn’t allow the visiting playing spaces to get free.
In addition to coming up against their opponents, Atlético ran into the decisions of the linesman on two questionable calls that kept Agüero from marching in alone on Codina, for supposed offsides which, had they not been called, could have changed the outlook of the game. The home squad, for their part, stood their ground and after a cross from the right, Manu del Moral again tested De Gea with a header that was responded to by the ‘rojiblanco’ goalkeeper with a one-handed save, tipping over for a corner. In the last minute of the first half, a combination between Reyes and Kun led to the winger from Seville ripping a fierce shot that brushed just past the left post.
After the break, the script didn’t change much. The first chance went to Tiago one minute after the re-start with a shot from outside the area that sailed over the crossbar. The ball remained in control of the visiting side, although they were unable to create clear chances in search of an equalizer. Quique Sánchez Flores’ squad tried at all times, and it finally looked like things might change on the scoreboard when Quique Sánchez Flores introduced several changes midway through the second half. First, Mario Suárez came on for Raúl García and then Elías for the youngster Koke. The player from Madrid and the Brazilian lent greater pace to ball transition and, furthermore, the former Corinthians midfielder tallied his first goal for Atleti with a precious header that Codina was helpless to stop.
Before the goal, the ‘rojiblancos’ threatened with an excellent attack strung together by Tiago, Forlán and Agüero, and which ended with a cross from the Argentine that passed through the six-yard box without either the Portuguese or the Uruguayan able to latch onto the ball. Forlán then tried his luck from distance in the 75th minute, but the ball went high. Nevertheless, the ‘charrua’ once again showed himself to be decisive for Atlético de Madrid when he served up a measured centering pass that Elías finished off with a beautiful header. The Uruguayan therefore built on his two-assist performance against Sevilla with another against Getafe, as the visitors leveled.
In the final stretch of the encounter, De Gea showed off his class with an amazing point-blank save on a Parejo header on the only chance for the ‘azulones’ during the entire second half. Thus, the Madrid derby ended in a draw that left both sides wanting more in the battle for European spots.
GETAFE, 1 (Manu del Moral); ATLÉTICO DE MADRID, 1 (Elías)
Getafe: Codina; Miguel Torres, Cata Díaz, Rafa, Mané (Marcano, 30’); Manu, Víctor Sánchez (Boateng, 65’), Parejo, Gavilán; Miku and Colunga (Casquero, 77’).
Atlético de Madrid: De Gea; Valera, Perea, Godín, Antonio López; Reyes, Tiago (Juanfran, 82’), Raúl García (Mario Suárez, 63’), Koke (Elías, 66’); Forlán and Agüero.
Referee: Clos Gómez. For the home team showed yellow cards to Mané (29’), Víctor Sánchez (57’), Rafa (70’) and Cata Díaz (83’); for Atlético de Madrid booked Agüero (29’) and Perea (86’).
Incidents: Matchday 26 of the League National Championship. Estadio Coliseum Alfonso Pérez in Getafe.
GOALS:
1-0. 2’. Manu del Moral shoots from the top of the area, the ball deflects off of Godín’s back and wrong-foots De Gea.
1-1. 81’. Measured cross from Forlán and a fine, accurate header by Elías beats Codina.
One often here’s the saying about one being “a chip off the old block”. That couldn’t be truer in the case of Manu del Moral. Trained in the Atlético de Madrid youth academy, he’s a fixture in the starting line-up at Getafe and last year scored the game-winning goal against Atlético at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez, which was the first loss for the ‘rojiblancos’ at that stadium in the south of Madrid. And faithful to that date with a goal, he tallied once again against Quique Sánchez Flores on this occasion.
The start of the game wasn’t what the visitors had been hoping for. While Getafe tried to take advantage of their wingers’ speed and get in behind the Atleti defense, the red-and-whites enjoyed almost complete control of the ball. But that didn’t help them out much early on, as Manu del Moral notched the opener with a solid dose of luck, as his shot deflected off Godín and made it impossible for De Gea to make the save.
This tough blow just two minutes in tormented the ‘colchoneros’, the early goal having a clear effect on Quique Sánchez Flores’ lads, who were unable to get going, for example, as they had in their previous away match in Zaragoza, where Atleti played an excellent first half, dominated their opponent and created dangerous chances throughout. For Getafe, on the other hand, Codina hardly had to do anything, because the shots from the visitors, with the sole exception of a free kick that was easily wrapped up by the home netminder, were all off-target.
The aforementioned free kick taken by Reyes at the eight-minute mark was the quick reply from the ‘rojiblancos’, apart from a Forlán shot that whizzed by the post. Getafe looked comfortable, played on the counter-attack, and their solid back line didn’t allow the visiting playing spaces to get free.
In addition to coming up against their opponents, Atlético ran into the decisions of the linesman on two questionable calls that kept Agüero from marching in alone on Codina, for supposed offsides which, had they not been called, could have changed the outlook of the game. The home squad, for their part, stood their ground and after a cross from the right, Manu del Moral again tested De Gea with a header that was responded to by the ‘rojiblanco’ goalkeeper with a one-handed save, tipping over for a corner. In the last minute of the first half, a combination between Reyes and Kun led to the winger from Seville ripping a fierce shot that brushed just past the left post.
After the break, the script didn’t change much. The first chance went to Tiago one minute after the re-start with a shot from outside the area that sailed over the crossbar. The ball remained in control of the visiting side, although they were unable to create clear chances in search of an equalizer. Quique Sánchez Flores’ squad tried at all times, and it finally looked like things might change on the scoreboard when Quique Sánchez Flores introduced several changes midway through the second half. First, Mario Suárez came on for Raúl García and then Elías for the youngster Koke. The player from Madrid and the Brazilian lent greater pace to ball transition and, furthermore, the former Corinthians midfielder tallied his first goal for Atleti with a precious header that Codina was helpless to stop.
Before the goal, the ‘rojiblancos’ threatened with an excellent attack strung together by Tiago, Forlán and Agüero, and which ended with a cross from the Argentine that passed through the six-yard box without either the Portuguese or the Uruguayan able to latch onto the ball. Forlán then tried his luck from distance in the 75th minute, but the ball went high. Nevertheless, the ‘charrua’ once again showed himself to be decisive for Atlético de Madrid when he served up a measured centering pass that Elías finished off with a beautiful header. The Uruguayan therefore built on his two-assist performance against Sevilla with another against Getafe, as the visitors leveled.
In the final stretch of the encounter, De Gea showed off his class with an amazing point-blank save on a Parejo header on the only chance for the ‘azulones’ during the entire second half. Thus, the Madrid derby ended in a draw that left both sides wanting more in the battle for European spots.
GETAFE, 1 (Manu del Moral); ATLÉTICO DE MADRID, 1 (Elías)
Getafe: Codina; Miguel Torres, Cata Díaz, Rafa, Mané (Marcano, 30’); Manu, Víctor Sánchez (Boateng, 65’), Parejo, Gavilán; Miku and Colunga (Casquero, 77’).
Atlético de Madrid: De Gea; Valera, Perea, Godín, Antonio López; Reyes, Tiago (Juanfran, 82’), Raúl García (Mario Suárez, 63’), Koke (Elías, 66’); Forlán and Agüero.
Referee: Clos Gómez. For the home team showed yellow cards to Mané (29’), Víctor Sánchez (57’), Rafa (70’) and Cata Díaz (83’); for Atlético de Madrid booked Agüero (29’) and Perea (86’).
Incidents: Matchday 26 of the League National Championship. Estadio Coliseum Alfonso Pérez in Getafe.
GOALS:
1-0. 2’. Manu del Moral shoots from the top of the area, the ball deflects off of Godín’s back and wrong-foots De Gea.
1-1. 81’. Measured cross from Forlán and a fine, accurate header by Elías beats Codina.
