Atletico Madrid 1-0 Levante
Atletico Madrid climbed to within two points of Barcelona at the top of La Liga thanks to a second half Antoine Griezmann penalty to end a stubborn Levante challenge.
57,000 fans packed in to the Wanda Metropolitano hoping to see the Rojiblancos pick up another crucial three points and they delivered, though it was never easy.
The pre-match Atletico vs Levante betting tips formed a consensus that Diego Simeone’s title chasers would win this one relatively comfortably. But Paco Lopez’ team has shown it can take down the best in the league and he set them up to frustrate the hosts with three at the back and a congested midfield.
With more La Liga 2019 updates to come during the weekend, that narrow gap at the top looks likely to stretch again, but for now Atletico have done their bit.
Highlights of the game
The hosts had the lion’s share of the first half but couldn’t break through the Levante defence, though they did have the ball in the net on ten minutes. Vitolo played Koke in and the midfielder slotted home, only to have his goal cancelled by VAR.
Atleti were having a lot of success down either flank with Angel Correa setting up Stefan Savic but his header was blocked, and then Correa fired in a cross which Antoine Griezmann was close to converting but his effort went narrowly wide.
Jose Luis Morales was the visitors’ biggest threat and he had a shot on 21 minutes which was blocked, and then Roger Marti forced a save from Jan Oblak as he arrowed a shot from distance low towards the corner. The hosts went back on the attack and Griezmann and Thomas Partey combined well before Partey’s shot was well saved by Oier. Griezmann was in lively form and he came close again when Koke put him in but he narrowly missed.
The Levante defence held firm until the break, blocking shots from Griezmann and Vitolo to keep a 45 minute clean sheet. The visitors have recently stunned Barca in the Copa del Rey after a four match winless streak, so they were quite happy at the half time whistle.
But that only lasted ten minutes of the second half. The hosts had been on the attack again with Koke testing the Levante keeper once more, but the breakthrough came when Nikola Vukcevic cracked under the Atleti pressure and handled in the box to give the referee an easy decision.
Griezmann stepped up and smashed the penalty into the top right corner to put the hosts 1-0 ahead and it was no more than they deserved. Griezmann scored Atleti’s goal in the recent 1-1 draw with Sevilla and he’s a man in red hot form.
The hosts tried to put the game to bed but long range shots from Correa and Partey were off target. Vitolo came close but the second goal wouldn’t come. Levante was still in the game and sniffed a chance when Morales took a pass from Borja Mayoral but his shot was saved; and then Enis Bardhi fired just over the bar when his chance came.
With ten minutes to go both sides were pressing for the crucial next goal. Thomas Partey came close after Koke had presented him with a chance and then Bardhi had a shot charged down at the other end.
Oier kept the score down with a fine save to deny Griezmann a second, as the game entered injury time and then Jason had a shot charged down as Levante rolled the dice for the last time.
Key statistics
This was a well deserved win in the end as the hosts enjoyed 58 per cent possession and won the shot count to by 19 to seven, with Oier the busier goalkeeper as the hosts fired five on target to Levante’s two.
Last season Atleti did the double over Levante with Lopez’ team failing to find the net and that pattern continues.
The win took Diego Simeone’s team up to within two points of the leaders, with Barca set to play Eibar at the Camp Nou later. If Atletico can maintain this level of ruthlessness then SBOBET La Liga 2019 might just have an exciting finish.
What’s next?
Simeone has expressed an interest in Chelsea’s unsettled striker Alvaro Morata as Atleti looks to strengthen their assault on the league leaders. They have an away game against bottom club Huesca next weekend, but before that it’s a second leg tie in the Copa del Rey at home to Girona, with the game balanced at 1-1.
Levante has that exciting Copa clash with Barcelona to continue, 2-1 up but likely to face an onslaught in Catalonia. Then they host Valladolid in a crunch La Liga clash. Lopez’ team is in mid table but only four points above the drop zone and with teams below them hitting form it could be a nervy run-in.
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