Narrow defeat at the premiere of the Euroamericana Cup
Diego Pablo Simeone’s team lost narrowly to Estudiantes who were in better shape. Zapata the Colombian striker scored the only goal in the Ciudad de La Plata.
ESTUDIANTES 1 - ATHLETIC 0
Estudiantes: Rulli, Jara, Schunke, Desábato, Silva, Gil Romero, Veron, Auzqui, Roman Martinez, Correa Zapata. Also played Goñi, Luna, Carrillo, Piergiacomi, Mariano González.
Atletico Madrid: Courtois, Juanfran, Miranda, Demichelis, Filipe Luis (Insua min 45), Mario Suarez (Tiago min 68), Gabi, Arda (Leo Batistão min 61), Adrian (Raul Garcia min 68), Koke (Dani Aquino 68 min), Diego Costa.
Goals: Min 22: Zapata
A Spectacular setting in the city of La Plata to make the Euroamericana Cup debut. The clash was resolved by the minimum score line between two teams with a big difference in terms of the physical fitness. Estudiantes have more games behind them and for our boys it was only the second game of the pre season. Before kick-off the hymns of Argentina and Spain rang out around the stadium before a minute of silence and a standing ovation was observed for the victims of train crash in Santiago de Compostela. The team wore black armbands in remembrance.
The early stages of the match were frantic, with both sides attacking. Pellegrino got his players to press high up the field. The deadlock was broken when Juan Sebastian Veron produced a good cross from the left after controlling the ball with his chest. The ball went to Roman Martinez, who moved it on to Zapata who finished well.
Thibaut Courtois was on good ofrm and stopped it from becoming 2-0 just a minute later after good work again from the Colombian. Studiantes showed more physical pace as they took control of the game. Atletico came in to the game a little more as the time passed and the first half ended with an excellent combination between Juanfran and Diego Costa but it didn’t lead to a goal.
The second half began in a manner identical to the first, with greater presence from the Argentine side. Two minutes after the restart, Zapata had a good header that fortunately for Atleti went out. Simeone made changes with Insua coming on for Filipe Luis on the left side.
Baptistão, Tiago, Raul Garcia and Aquino also can on in the second half and in the 71st minute Demichelis was close to scoring the equalizer and substitute Aquino was involved in a lot in the second half and could have been awarded a penalty when goalkeeper Rulli brought him down but the referee didn’t whistle the home victory was confirmed.
