MY ACCOUNT
Angel Correa scored a sensational goal from almost the halfway line as Atletico Madrid fought out a pulsating 2-2 LaLiga draw with Villarreal on Sunday.
Correa stunned the Estadio de la Ceramica with his sublime early strike, but the hosts pulled level before half-time through Pau Torres, shortly after Gerard Moreno had seen a penalty saved by Jan Oblak.
Alberto Moreno thought he had sealed a fifth consecutive top-flight win for Unai Emery’s side before the hour mark, yet Atleti salvaged a point thanks to Geoffrey Kondogbia’s first goal for the club, although the midfielder’s match ended with a red card deep into stoppage time.
The result moved Diego Simeone’s side up to fourth, while Villarreal remained four points behind their opponents in eighth.
Atleti went ahead after 10 minutes thanks to Correa’s audacious strike, the Argentina international intercepting Parejo’s sloppy pass and firing over Geronimo Rulli from just inside the Villarreal half.
Alberto Moreno struck the post soon after, before he won a penalty when Thomas Lemar handled his shot inside the area in the 23rd minute.
Gerard Moreno’s weak spot-kick was kept out by Oblak, though, with Parejo’s follow-up ruled out for handball following a pitchside VAR review.
The hosts did pull level six minutes later, however, Torres bundling in from close range after Oblak spilled a Parejo free-kick at his feet.
Villarreal deservedly went ahead in the 58th minute when Alberto Moreno latched on to Gerard Moreno’s pass and found the back of the net via a signifiant deflection from the onrushing Oblak.
Simeone’s men went back to the Spanish capital with a point, though, when Kondogbia’s 20-yard strike slipped through the grasp of Rulli in the 67th minute, before the 28-year-old goalscorer received a second yellow card for a foul on Yeremi Pino in added time.
What does it mean? Atleti snap run of away defeats
Villarreal looked destined to end their run of seven games without victory against Atleti when the impressive Alberto Moreno fired home, but Kondogbia had other ideas.
That goal snapped Los Colchoneros’ run of three straight LaLiga defeats on the road – the last time they lost four in a row away from home was in December 2011 under Gregorio Manzano.
Correa’s unlikely opener
Opta calculated Correa’s breathtaking effort to have an expected goal (xG) indicator of just 0.0166 – the lowest for a goal in LaLiga this season.
He has now scored 12 goals in his last 28 top-flight appearances, which is one more than he had in his previous 98 league games for Simeone’s men.
Oblak’s mixed game
Oblak went from hero to zero inside the space of seven first-half minutes, becoming the first goalkeeper in LaLiga this season to both save a penalty and make a mistake that led to a goal in the same game.
It was also just the third time it has happened in Europe’s five major leagues this term, after Manchester United’s David de Gea against Watford and Wolfsburg’s Koen Casteels against Borussia Monchengladbach.
What’s next?
Atleti are in action against Athletic Bilbao in a Supercopa de Espana semi-final on Thursday, while Villarreal visit Elche in LaLiga on Sunday.
