Heads held high after first defeat
Atletico Madrid went down for the first time this season in a competitive match with a goal from Sergio Garcia in the second half. Koke hit the post and the referee ruled out a goal to Mario Suarez for offside.
ESPANYOL 1-0 ATLETICO MADRID
Espanyol : Kiko Casilla Sidnei , Hector Moreno , Javi Lopez , Fuentes , M. Lanzarote ( Alex Fernandez , 70 ' ) , David Lopez (Raul Rodriguez, 82' ) , Abraham , Simao , Sergio Garcia and Pizzi ( Stuani , 72 ' ) .
Atletico Madrid : Courtois , Juanfran , Godin , Alderweireld , Filipe Luis , Koke , Mario Suárez ( Cristian Rodriguez, 77 ' ) , Gabi ( Adrian, 63' ) , Raul Garcia ( Arda Turan , 58 ' ) ; Villa and Diego Costa .
Referee : Fernández Borbalán ( Andalusian Committee ) . He showed yellow card to the local Hector Moreno ( 30 ' ) , Javi Lopez ( 42' ) , David Lopez ( 60 ' ) , Sergio Garcia ( 83) and Abraham (84' ), and to visitors Villa ( 30 ' ) , Koke ( 40 ' ) , Cristian Rodríguez ( 83' ) and Courtois ( 93 ' ) .
THE GOAL :
1-0 . 54 ' . Sergio García
The first defeat for Atletico in a competitive match this season. Espanyol had the privilege of being the first team to get a win against Atletico. In a game marked by few chance it was the home side that got the goal that made the difference.
Espanyol and Atletico Madrid took the pitch in Cornella-El Prat with the aim of not giving an inch of ground to the opponent and trying to exploit their opportunities. The truth is that the meeting was intense, a battle in the midfield, with a struggle between two side who gave their all.
Espanyol, who had several players who had played for Atletico such as Capdevila, Simao and Pizzi, had the first chance of the game with a shot that went wide from Pizzi. The response was immediate and Diego Costa who put a ball into the middle but Koke shot just wide.
It was tight in the centre of the pitch but chances soon arrived. Diego Costa did well down the right hand side before squaring the ball for Koke. The Spanish international did wel to direct the ball goalwars but his effort rebounded back off of the post mean the sides went in at the break all square.
After the break, the script seemed to remain the same, although it was Espanyol who began creating more danger. Lanzarote looked to cause Courtois problems and it wasn’t long before the first goal came in the 54th minute when Garcia forced the opener .
Diego Pablo Simeone decided to make changes bringing on Arda Turan for Raul Garcia and Adrian soon after for Gabi. Just a few minutes later, on 68 minutes, came a move that could have changed the game with a shot from Diego Costa, unfortunately it missed the bottom left of the goal. Shortly before referee Fernandez Borbalán ruled out a goal from Mario Suarez for offside.
Atletico Madrid battled until the end but Espanyol endured the onslaught. The first defeat of this season for Atletico in Simeone’s 100th game as Atletico coach.
