Substitute Álex Baena scored from outside the box in the 89th minute as Atlético Madrid won 1-0 at Espanyol in La Liga on Saturday. Espanyol goalkeeper Ángel Fortuño kept a rotated Atlético side out for most of the afternoon at the RCDE Stadium, before Baena struck the winner into the top corner from Julián Álvarez's pass. It was Atlético's fifth straight league win and lifts Diego Simeone's side to within two points of leaders Barcelona.
Match facts
- Result: Espanyol 0-1 Atlético Madrid (half-time 0-0)
- Competition: La Liga, Matchday 9
- Venue: RCDE Stadium, Cornellà de Llobregat
- Scorers: Espanyol - none; Atlético Madrid - Baena 89'
- Assists: Atlético Madrid - Julián Álvarez (Baena 89')
- Red cards: None
- Next in La Liga: Racing Santander v Espanyol, Saturday 24 October; Atlético Madrid v Deportivo, Saturday 24 October
How the match unfolded
Simeone rotated three days after the 2-0 Champions League win over Manchester United, leaving Marcos Llorente and Alejandro Grimaldo on the bench. Atlético still had most of the early chances. Lee Kang-in shot over in the second minute, and Jonathan David fired just too high from Giuliano Simeone's cross four minutes later. Fortuño then saved from Lee in the 19th minute and from David in the 36th, after Giuliano Simeone had played him through.
Espanyol's threat came mainly from set pieces. Roberto Fernández headed wide from a corner in the 32nd minute. In the 44th minute, Leandro Cabrera's shot from outside the box hit the crossbar, and the sides went in level at the break.
Simeone made a double change at half-time, sending on Julián Álvarez for Ademola Lookman and Grimaldo for Dani Martínez. Llorente replaced Pablo Barrios in the 55th minute and soon tested Fortuño with a strike from distance. Baena came on for Lee in the 62nd minute and was booked six minutes later.
Atlético kept pushing as the game wore on. Fortuño saved from David in the 75th minute and from an Álvarez shot a minute later, and Morten Hjulmand headed just wide from a Grimaldo corner. At the other end, Bryan Zaragoza shot wide on the break in the 74th minute. Espanyol coach Manolo González sent on Javi Puado and Marcos Fernández in the 82nd minute.
The breakthrough finally came in the 89th minute. Álvarez laid the ball off to Baena, who struck a right-footed shot from outside the box into the top left corner. Espanyol pushed forward in four minutes of stoppage time, and Jan Oblak saved a Pol Lozano header from close range to protect the lead.
What it means
The win takes Atlético to 22 points from nine games, two behind Barcelona, who visit Real Betis later on Saturday. It follows last weekend's 2-1 win at Alavés, also settled late, and Wednesday's 2-0 Champions League win over Manchester United.
Espanyol stay on eight points, in 12th place, and have now gone four league games without a win. They travel to Racing Santander next Saturday, while Atlético host a Deportivo side that drew 1-1 with Levante on Friday.
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