Sevilla 1-1 Atletico Madrid
Two first half goals in the third versus second clash meant a share of the spoils as Sevilla and Atletico chase Barca at the top of La Liga.
38,000 fans at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan watched a well fought contest as Wissam Ben Yedder put Pablo Machin’s Sevilla ahead before Antoine Griezmann fired a quick response. The La Liga 2019 betting odds see Atletico as realistic contenders to Barcelona in the title chase, but they really needed a win in Seville to keep up the pressure.
With the first round of La Liga 2019 results almost complete, neither of these two teams will have shed a tear when Villarreal scored a late equaliser to peg back Real Madrid in the first game of the New Year. But Barcelona now has a chance to put a little distance between themselves and their hunters.
Highlights of the game
With two teams locked in battle for the second place it was no surprise the see a very cagey opening to the match and we had to wait until the 15th minute to see a shot in anger. Jesus Navas crossed for Roque Mesa but his effort went high and wide. And in the midway point of the first half, Antoine Griezmann had an attempt for the visitors, taking a pass from Thomas Partey but his shot from outside the box was well blocked by the Sevilla defence.
That upped the tempo of the game and moments later Angel Correa teed Griezmann up for another try from distance, and this time the Frenchman’s shot flew towards the bottom right corner but Tomas Vaclik saved well. Sevilla responded and Navas had a shot charged down before Mesa fired wide from a corner.
Los Hispalenses have been scoring freely, with much of the goal getting and making done by Wissam Ben Yedder and Pablo Sarabia, with 14 goals and 11 assists between them up to the turn of the year. And it was Ben Yedder who broke the deadlock on 37 minutes. Atletico’s Koke conceded and corner which was swung over by Daniel Carrico and Ben Yedder fired his ninth of the season low into the bottom left corner giving Jan Oblak no chance.
Ben Yedder had another chance but shot straight at the keeper, as did Griezmann when he had an opportunity at the other end. But Atleti’s talisman grabbed his eighth of the season a minute before the break to draw the visitors level. Carrico fouled Partey within range of goal and Griezmann stepped up to fire a beauty of a free kick into the bottom right corner. 1-1 at the break.
Sarabia came close to adding to his season tally early in the second half with a fierce effort from just outside the box which Oblak saved in the top left corner. Atletico continued to probe with Correa shooting wide and then Saul Niguez forcing a save with a header from a Partey cross. For Sevilla, Ben Yedder came close on 69 minutes but his effort flew narrowly wide and then Joris Gnagnon came close with a header from a Mesa dead ball cross.
Griezmann latched on to a nicely weighted through ball from Partey but his low shot was well saved by Vaclik and then Sevilla fullback Gnagnon tried his luck from distance but Oblak saved well.
Vaclik tipped over an effort from Partey as Atleti continued to probe right to the end but there was no way through for either team.
Key Statistics
After a slow start the first half sprung into life with a goal at either end as Sevilla led the shot count by eight to five, though both teams had three on target.
By the final whistle Sevilla had enjoyed 55 per cent possession and won the shot count by 14 to 12, though Vaclik was the busier keeper as Atleti hit seven on target to the hosts five.
Overall a draw was a fair result which all means these two giants of the Spanish game can’t be separated over the last 50 games, both winning 17 while there have been 16 drawn.
What’s next?
Sevilla has two games in four days, both away to Athletic Bilbao, first in the Copa del Rey and then in La Liga. Their opponents are languishing in 18th in the thick of a relegation battle so may well fight harder in the league fixture.
Atleti has a big Champions League tie against Juventus to look forward to in due
course and we’ll be right there with all the action at SBOBET. But for the time being
Diego Simeoni’s Rojiblancos have a trip away to Girona in the Copa before Levante is the next visitor to Madrid in La Liga.
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