Sports
Griezmann lifts Atletico Madrid past Deportivo La Coruna
Simeone’s decision to send on Kevin Gameiro proved key to beating a Deportivo La Coruna side that remained stubborn despite playing the entire second half with 10 men.
Four minutes after going on, the striker used his speed to set up Antoine Griezmann for the goal that secured a 1-0 victory with 20 minutes remaining at Vicente Calderon Stadium.
“Gameiro played well as soon as he went on and was decisive in the move that produced the goal,” Simeone said. “We had a tough time settling into the match and it was getting away from us.”
After drawing its first two matches of the season against newly-promoted sides, Atletico appeared to have already seriously damaged its hopes of making the title race a three-way contest with Barcelona and Real Madrid for a fourth straight season.
Simeone’s latest tactical twist came after he pulled Angel Correa and Fernando Torres off the bench while trailing at Barcelona, and the pair immediately linked up for Correa’s equalizer.
While Simeone kept pulling the strings Sunday, it again fell to Griezmann to provide the goal.
The goal was his fifth in six rounds this season, putting him level with Barcelona’s Luis Suarez as the league’s leading scorers.
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The victory came at a price, however.
The club said that Fernandez “completely tore” a ligament in his right knee, while Gimenez injured a muscle in his right leg.
It was Atletico in complete control for the rest of the match, and only the goalkeeping of German Lux kept the visitors clinging to a scoreless draw.
Lux pushed Yannick Carrasco’s long strike onto his bar in the 53rd at the start of a barrage by Atletico. Lux then denied Carrasco from close range before saving a point-blank header by Angel Correa.
The decision proved key to getting the winner, as Gameiro darted free down the right side before finding Griezmann with his low pass.
It was Deportivo’s fifth straight round without a win.
“We played an intelligent first half, but after the sending off of Faycal Fajr we couldn’t continue with the same plan,” Lux said. “It changed completely. We have to pick ourselves up and get past this.”
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