Villarreal vs Atletico Madrid: Diego Simeone's side stage comeback to steal 2-2 La Liga draw
Marcos Llorente canceled out Arnaut Danjuma's opener, before Koke's own goal restored Villarreal's lead. Nevertheless, Atletico once again leveled the score thanks to summer signing Alexander Sorloth's towering header n the first-half injury time.
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FollowDiego Simeone's Atletico Madrid twice came from behind to earn a 2-2 La Liga draw away to Villarreal at el Madrigal on Monday night. Marcos Llorente canceled out Arnaut Danjuma's opener, before Koke's own goal restored Yellow Submarine's lead. Nevertheless, Rojiblancos once again leveled the score thanks to summer signing Alexander Sorloth's towering header in the first-half injury time.
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Atletico created the first real chance of the match inside the opening 12 minutes. Llorente delivered a brilliant cross from the right flank to find the run of Samuel Lino inside the box, but the 24-year-old's first-time header was brilliantly tipped over the bar by home goalkeeper Diego Conde. However, it was the hosts who drew the first blood. Danjuma ran on to Conde's long ball from the back, got the better of Axel Witsel before slotting home past Atletico custodian Jan Oblak.
Atletico responded quickly, leveling the score just two minutes later. Pablo Barrios and Antonio Groiezmann combined on the right before releasing Llorente on goal and the Spaniard unleashed an unstoppable strike into the top corner of the goal.
After Witsel made a crucial block to deny Danjuma from a counter-attack, before the home side capitalised on Oblak's mistake to make the score 2-1. Alex Baena put in a teasing inswing-wing cross from the left, which Oblak failed to collect and the ball bounced in off the unfortunate Koke.
Sorloth, who was making his debut for Atletico, netted the equaliser five minutes into the first-half injury time. The former Villarreal-man found the back of the net with a towering header from Barrios' cross from the right touchline.
The second-half was a cage affair as both sides failed to hit the target. Villarreal substitute Nicolas Pepe came the closest with an 82nd-minute free-kick that struck the crossbar. Meanwhile, Julian Alvarez, who joined Atletico from Manchester City this summer, came off the bench to play 15 minutes.
Simeone's men will next host Girona at Wanda Metropolitano on Sunday, while Villarreal will play its second game of the season at Sevilla on Friday.
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