finish for Atletico Madrid in a 1-0 victory over Eibar
on Saturday.
Following Tuesday's 3-0 defeat to Real Madrid in
the first leg of their Champions League semi-final,
focus switched back to ensuring automatic
progression to next season's competition.
Leading fourth-placed Sevilla by two points
heading into the penultimate league fixture to be
staged at the Vicente Calderon, the hosts knew
victory would leave Jorge Sampaoli's men praying
for a miracle in their own bid to break into the top
three following a 1-1 draw with Real Sociedad on
Friday.
And, after a poor first-half showing in which they
failed to register a shot on target, Atleti did
eventually make the breakthrough to clinch all
three points, Saul making up for an earlier miss
with an accomplished finish after 69 minutes.
Atleti, who had Diego Godin sent off for two
quickfire yellow cards in the closing stages, now
sit five points clear of Sevilla with only two games
remaining for both clubs.
Takashi Inui tested Jan Oblak with an early
attempt on goal, but a lack of composure in the
final third saw Eibar unable to capitalise on their
possession in the opening minutes.
Atleti soon settled and Koke drilled the hosts' first
effort just wide of the left-hand post, after the ball
had ricocheted out to him off the legs of defender
Florian Lejeune.
Penalty appeals fell on deaf ears when Ivan Ramis
handled the ball six yards from goal on the half-
hour mark – intentional or not, the ball was
heading into a dangerous area until Ramis'
intervention.
Ramis then slipped to allow Yannick Carrasco a
free shot at goal, but the Belgian winger scooped
his effort over the crossbar.
Saul then got in on the act by firing high and wide
from a Thomas Partey pull-back, squandering
another golden opportunity for Atleti to open the
scoring.
Pedro Leon sent a left-footed effort whistling over
early in the second half as Eibar started brightly,
before Filipe Luis drew a save from Yoel Rodriguez
with Atleti's first shot on target.
The former Chelsea full-back – already booked –
was perhaps fortunate to stay on the pitch after
catching Sergi Enrich with a high boot.
Antoine Griezmann shot straight at Yoel with an
hour on the clock as Atleti's urgency to break the
deadlock grew, and it was Saul who eventually
netted the decisive goal.
A low cross from Godin on the left found Saul at
the edge of the box, and the midfielder swept a
wonderful effort into the bottom-left corner of the
net.
Gonzalo Escalante's diving header was directed too
close to Oblak as Eibar came close to an equaliser,
but Atleti did enough to hold on to a victory that
almost certainly spares them a European play-off,
despite Godin's late dismissal.
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