Alvaro Morata and his Atletico Madrid teammates savored the momentous victory in opposition to Girona within the Spanish league on Monday after the striker’s decisive aim three minutes into play.
Morata’s aim early in second-half stoppage time was confirmed solely after a prolonged video assessment. Still, it lastly counted to provide Atletico the 1-0 win and sole possession of the third-place.
Atletico entered the match tied on factors with Real Sociedad, held at Mallorca on Sunday to 1-1. However, Diego Simeone’s facet was nonetheless eight factors behind second-placed Real Madrid and 17 behind league leaders Barcelona.
Morata scored from shut vary after charging towards the far put up following a nook kick cross by Antoine Griezmann from the best facet. However, the ball was deflected inside the realm earlier than Morata might attain it close to the aim line. The assistant raised the flag for offside, however the aim ultimately stood after being confirmed by the VAR.
Morata mentioned his teammates had been initially upset with him as a result of it appeared the ball might have gone in even when he hadn’t touched it.
“To me, it was clear, but if they didn’t confirm it, I think I would have had to go back home on a bicycle,” Morata mentioned. “They (my teammates) were mad at me because I touched it. But I didn’t know if it was going in or not. So just in case I had to finish the play. It was hard to see the ball there and not push it in.”
Morata scored twice in Atletico’s 6-1 rout of Sevilla within the earlier spherical. Until then, he’d been scoreless in 5 straight video games.
Atletico celebrated a sixth win in its final eight league video games with two attracts. It subsequent hosts relegation-threatened Valencia.
It was the second loss in a row for Girona, which stayed in twelfth place, 4 factors above the relegation zone. It subsequent visits seventh-place Rayo Vallecano.
Girona’s 36-year-old Uruguayan striker Cristhian Stuani got here off the bench within the second half to make his 2 hundredth look with the Catalan membership.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
