Depay helps Atletico beat Granada
MADRID: Atletico Madrid striker Memphis Depay scored a superb long-range strike in the second half to win 3-1 at home against promoted Granada in the La Liga opener on Monday.
Alvaro Morata gave Atlético the lead in the first half and Marcos Llorente put the icing on the cake late in the third against last year’s La Liga 2 champions. The hosts dominated but missed a number of chances, with Antoine Griezmann and Yannick Carrasco causing all kinds of trouble against a parked-the-bus Granada side who ended the first half goalless at the Metropolitano Stadium.
Rodrigo De Paul missed an absolute keeper from close range in the 18th minute and Morata saved three great chances before finally breaking the deadlock. He struck the extra time before the whistle inside the penalty area after receiving a ball from defender Jesus Vallejo in a comical mistake as he attempted to cross.
Atletico were on top again in the second half, and substitute Depay missed a golden chance before the hour mark, firing wide from close range. Just when it looked like the hosts might add to their lead, Granada equalized through Samuel Omorodion in the 62nd minute. It came on their first shot on goal after Carrasco mishandled the ball on the edge of his own area and Gonzalo Villar set up Omorodion to score from close range.
But five minutes later, substitute Depay pulled Atlético back when he unleashed an unstoppable rocket from distance that flew into the top left corner of the goal. Llorente wrapped up the victory with a smart individual effort eight minutes into added time, winning the ball back inside the box and beating Andre Ferreira.
“Tonight and this weekend we saw how competitive La Liga is,” Atletico manager Diego Simeone told Movistar Plus. “We played well in the first half against a very solid opponent and thanks to our mistake they managed to equalize. Then Memphis scored a great goal. I’m happy for him.”
Published in EDP BLOGS on August 16,2023.
