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Baena's Stunner Lifts Atletico to Second in La Liga
17 Oct
Summary
- Alex Baena scored the winning goal in the 89th minute.
- Atletico Madrid's victory moved them to second place in La Liga.
- Espanyol's winless run in the league now extends to four matches.
Atletico Madrid clinched a narrow 1-0 victory over Espanyol on Saturday, thanks to a late strike from Alex Baena in the 89th minute. The goal, set up by Julian Alvarez, secured all three points for Atletico Madrid.
This crucial win lifted Atletico Madrid to 22 points, placing them second in the La Liga table, two points adrift of leaders Barcelona. Espanyol, who are now winless in four league matches, remain on eight points and are in 12th position.
Despite Espanyol's efforts to contain Atletico's initial surge and creating their own chances, including a shot hitting the crossbar, the match remained goalless for most of the duration. Atletico Madrid's manager Diego Simeone's substitutions nearly paid off earlier when Marcos Llorente also hit the woodwork.
The stadium acknowledged the return of Espanyol captain Javi Puado from a knee injury, but the cheers turned to disappointment as Baena found the net, sealing the defeat for the home side.
