To the round of 16 in a big way
Atlético de Madrid’s women’s team made history in Moscow by overcoming the 0-2 with a superb match that ended with an unanswerable 0-3.
Zorky: Zhamanakova; Medved, Mashkova, Sochneva (Chukisova, 86’), Skotnikova, Korovkina, Rodionova, Slonova, Kostyukova, Smirokova and Kolesnilova.
Atlético de Madrid Women's team: Lola Gallardo; Amanda, Rocío Gálvez, Noelia Tudela, María León; Meseguer, Ángela Sosa; Priscila (Bea Beltrán, 76’), Miriam Rodríguez (Nagore, 76’), Sonia; and Esther (Débora García, 85’).
Referee: Carina Vitulano (Italy). Booked the locals Kostyukova (6’), Skotnikova (55’) and Medved (63’); and the visiting Amanda (74’).
GOALS:
0-1. 9’. Esther heads a cross from María León.
0-2. 84’. Bea Beltrán beats the Russian goalkeeper after a pass of Amanda from the right.
0-3. 87’. Débora García heads a cross sent by Sonia into the net.
Football is like that. If the defeat in the first leg was cruel, playing the second leg with the same script, the tide turned in our favour. The luck that that avoided us at Majadahonda’s Sports City was with us in Russia, in the form of the penalty kick saved by Lola Gallardo in the only dangerous moment for our girls. In this game, the team of Sopuerta gave Zorky a real lesson in football. Good game, chances to suit all tastes and great goals were what the followers and the Russian team had to live at home.
The match started as in the first leg, with red and white possession, domain and control and verticality, more than in Majadahonda. Then came the first goal, work of Esther, putting tension and nervousness in the Russians only 9 minutes into the match. However, since that time until the second goal came, regretfully there were very clear chances that were lost, both in the first and in the second half.
Miguel Angel Sopuerta’s girls kept their efforts up even in a key and decisive play, Rocío Gálvez’s penalty on Slonova on 72 minutes. But Lola Gallardo was there to make the night’s save and send her teammates to the knock out round. She guessed the drive of Skotnikova and stopped it. From there on, our girls lived even more in the Russian box. And the substitutions were crucial.
Bea Beltrán and Nagore shifted the match into a higher gear and it was Bea Beltrán, after eight minutes on the pitch who scored the 0-2 that was more in accordance to the red and white superiority. Débora García entered in 85’ and two minutes later gave Zorky the final blow by scoring the 0-3.
Tremendous work of Atlético de Madrid’s women’s team who fought the unspeakable and was rewarded by reaching the round of 16 of the Women's Champions League. Our girls’ European dream continues.
