La Liga 2024-25: Wasteful Atletico Madrid held to a goalless draw by Espanyol
Atletico dominated the proceeding in front of their own supporters, having close to 65% of possession and creating 25 chances, but were wasteful in front of goal. Espanyol, on the other hand, is the only team yet to score in the Spanish top flight this term and it showed no signs of breaking the duck.
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FollowAtletico Madrid was held to a goalless draw by Espanyol in a La Liga fixture at Civitas Metropolitano on Wednesday night (August 28). Atletico dominated the proceeding in front of their own supporters, having close to 65% of possession and creating 25 chances, but were wasteful in front of goal. Espanyol, on the other hand, is the only team yet to score in the Spanish top flight this term and it showed no signs of breaking the duck.
Atletico started brightly as Rodrigo Riquelme made a darting run down the left flank and cut the ball back for Alvarez at the near post, but the Argentine striker's first-time effort was brilliantly kept out by Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia. Two minutes later, Rodrigo de Paul played a nice little through ball to release Samuel Lino on goal, but once again, Garcia quickly came off his line, closed down the space, and the Brazilian midfielder's effort struck the woodwork.
Alexander Sorloth climbed the highest to get on the end of de Paul's cross but the Norwegian striker's header went just over the bar. Mid-way through the first half, Sorloth once again came close to scoring this time from Riquelme's cut back, but the former Real Sociedad man's effort went wide.
It took 32 minutes for Espanyol to register their first attempt. Right-back Alvaro Tejero played the ball to Alex Kral inside the box, the Czech Republic midfielder's miskick rolled into the path of Javi Puado in front of goal, but the Spanish striker fired it over the bar. On the stroke of half-time, Sorloth and Lino saw their efforts comfortably saved by Garcia.
Ten minutes into the second-half Atletico thought they had broken the deadlock when Riquelme nudged in the ball after a tumult in front of goal. However, VAR intervened, and the goal was disallowed for offside. Espanyol registered their first shot on target in the 70th-minute, thanks to substitute Walid Cheddira. Six minutes into the injury time, Riquelme once again put the ball inside the net but yet again his celebrations were cut short when the linesman raised his flag.
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