Dual penalty miss cant stop table-topping Atletico
AFP
AFP, MADRID: Atletico Madrid moved top of La Liga despite missing two penalties as Antoine Griezmann and Kevin Gameiro handed Diego Simeones men a 2-0 win at Valencia on Sunday.
Valencia goalkeeper Diego Alves extended his exceptional penalty record as he denied Griezmann and Gabi from the spot either side of Griezmanns opener just after the hour mark.
However, Gameiro finally sealed a deserved three points for Atletico in stoppage time to move a point clear of Real Madrid and two of Barcelona, who face Eibar and Celta Vigo respectively later on Sunday.
New Valencia coach Cesare Prandelli watched on from the stands before officially taking charge on Monday, but other than Alves taking his record of saved penalties to 22 from 45 faced in Spanish football, there were few positives for the Italian.
After weathering a fast start from Valencia with former Manchester United winger Nani particularly dangerous, Atletico went on to control the majority of the game.
Saul Niguezs low effort from Gameiros cut-back put Alves to work after just 10 minutes. The Valencia stopper then made a spectacular save to turn a fierce Griezmann effort onto the roof of the net.
Alves best stop was still to come, though, as the visitors were awarded a penalty two minutes before half-time. Griezmann had hit the bar from the spot against Bayern Munich in midweek, but there was little more the French international could do as his well-struck penalty was brilliantly turned behind.
However, Griezmann has now missed four of the six penalties he has taken for Atletico.
Rodrigo then had a great chance to open the scoring as Valencia raced down the other end, but Jan Oblak stood firm to save low to his left as Atletico registered their seventh clean sheet in nine games this season.
Valencias Santi Mina was denied the opener by a brilliant recovery challenge by Lucas Hernandez just after the break.
However, Atleticos quality off the bench paid dividends when they finally made the breakthrough.
Substitutes Yannick Carrasco and Fernando Torres combined and despite the latters effort being brilliantly saved by Alves once more, Gameiro teed up Griezmann for his sixth La Liga goal of the season from the rebound.
Gameiro should have sealed the three points five minutes later when he fired straight at Alves when one-on-one, but again Atletico made the most of the second ball as Mario Suarez chopped down Griezmann.
Atletico captain Gabi took over penalty duties, but again Alves couldnt be beaten from the spot.
Nani and Eliaquim Mangala forced Oblak into saves late on as Valencia made a valiant push for the equaliser.
Yet, the hosts were finally caught out deep into stoppage time when Gameiro burst through on goal and this time slotted past Alves sparking wild celebrations from Simeone on the sidelines.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric is set to be sidelined for a month after undergoing surgery on a left knee cartilage injury on Sunday.
Modric has today undergone successful arthroscopic surgery in his left knee to remove a patellar chondral fragment, Madrid said in a statement.
The club refused to state how long Modric will be sidelined, but various Spanish media outlets reported the former Tottenham Hotspur playmaker faces a month out.
Modric had already been ruled out of Sundays La Liga clash with Eibar, but is now set to miss Croatias World Cup qualifiers against Kosovo and Finland.
After the international break, Modric is also expected to sit out league meetings against Real Betis, Athletic Bilbao and Alaves, as well as a Champions League clash with Legia Warsaw.
Modrics stunning performances over the past two years have made him one of Madrids most important players alongside the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale.
However, coach Zinedine Zidane has a wealth of creative midfield options in Isco, James Rodriguez and Marco Asensio to fill in during Modrics absence.
