Flying start for Atleico
Atletico Madrid picked up a great victory at the Sanchez Pizjuan (1-3) thanks to two goals from Diego Costa and one from Cristian Rodriguez. A great game from Atleti who started the league like they ended the previous one, with a win.
Seville1-3 ATLETICO MADRID
Sevilla: Beto, Coke, Fazio, Nico Pareja (Kondogbia, 46 '), Alberto Moreno, Vitolo, Rakitic, Iborra (Israel, 63'), Perotti, Bacca (Gameiro, 73 ') and Marin.
Atletico Madrid: Courtois, Juanfran, Miranda, Godin, Filipe Luis, Koke (Cristian Rodriguez, 81 '), Mario Suarez, Gabi, Arda Turan (Óliver Torres, 59'), Diego Costa and David Villa (Leo Baptistão, 70').
Referee: Clos Gómez (Aragon Committee). Booked Perotti (44 '), Kondogbia (49'), Coke (75 '), Vitolo (85') and Marin (86 ') for Seville and Arda Turan (1'), Gabi (49 ' ), Miranda (56) and Óliver Torres (66 ') for Atletico Madrid
GOALS:
0-1. 35 '. Diego Costa
1-1. 37 '. Perotti
1-2. 79 '. Diego Costa
1-3. 92 '. Cristian Rodriguez .
Atletico Madrid and Seville took to the Sanchez Pizjuan with the first three points of the season at stake. Diego Pablo Simeone sent out an eleven that Atletico fans known by heart, with the only change of Villa in for Falcao. The team looked strong from the beginning and achieved their goal.
The two teams side were looking to get off to a quick start and the chances soon came. The first attempt on goal was closer to Seville with a header from Bacca hit the woodwork after a cross from Coke from the right on 21 minutes. Atletico quickly respond and 2 minutes later a David Villa shot was palmed on to the post by Beto and the ball went out for a corner.
After some give and take in the midfield not many great chances, Atletico Madrid swung back in to action and in the 35th minutes Koke launched a corner kick to the near post. Miranda flicked it on to an unmarked Diego Costa who fired the ball past Beto.
But like earlier in the game when the first two shots that hit the post were two minutes apart, this time the response of Sevilla also came two minutes after the goal by Diego Costa. Perotti received the ball and shot from 30 yards out past Courtois who was at full stretch, the Belgian touched the ball but could not prevent it going in.
The red and white did not want to go in at the break with the scores tied and looked to retake the lead when Gabi shot from distance after a good build up from his teammate but he couldn’t get the goal and the sides went in all square at the break.
After the interval Seville had to make his first change, forced by the injury to Nico Pareja, who went off with a shoulder problem at the end of the first half. Kondogbia came on in his place and Iborra move in to the centre.
In the second half Seville seemed to be more in the game and created the first opportunities but Courtois was well placed to stop Marin on two occasions after Vitolo had shot in to the side netting.
Atletico Madrid began to get back in to the game near the end of the second half when Filipe Luis tried his luck with a shot that troubled Beto. Soon after first Atletico change was made when Arda Turan was replaced by Óliver Torres and it was the substitute was straight in to the action, playing and one-two with Koke and getting to the by-line, although his cross was intercepted by the Seville defence.
The momentum of the game went in favour of Atletico and a shot from Koke was turned behind for a corner. It was the prelude to the second goal for Atletico and a great pass from Koke allowed Diego Costa to make it 1-2. Diego Costa’s league campaign starts how his last one finished, with two goals and being instrumental in the teams win. That wasn’t the end of the scoring and in injury time substitute Cristian Rodriguez made it 3-1 to ensure that the 3 points were heading to the Calderon as Simeone’s men kick off the season with a great result ahead of the Super Cup game against Barcelona on Wednesday evening.