La Liga Roundup: Late Morata goal gives Atletico Madrid key win over Girona
MADRID (AP) — It took Alvaro Morata and his Atletico Madrid teammates greater than three minutes to have the ability to have fun the striker’s vital winner towards Girona within the Spanish league on Monday.
Morata’s purpose early in second half stoppage time was confirmed solely after a prolonged video assessment, however it lastly counted to provide Atletico the 1-0 win and sole possession of third place.
Atletico entered the match tied on factors with Real Sociedad, which on Sunday was held at Mallorca to 1-1. Diego Simeone’s group was nonetheless eight factors behind second-placed Real Madrid, and 17 behind league chief Barcelona.
Morata scored from shut vary after charging towards the far put up following a nook kick cross by Antoine Griezmann from the proper facet. The ball was deflected inside the world earlier than Morata may get to it close to the goalline. The assistant raised the flag for offside however the purpose ultimately stood after being confirmed by the VAR.
Morata mentioned his teammates have been initially upset with him as a result of it appeared the ball may have gone in even when he hadn’t contact 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 two hundredth look with the Catalan membership.
