Atletico de Madrid earned absolution from their fans after thumping Deportivo de La Coruña 4-1 at the Vicente Calderon to make amends for their previous two performances this week. The Rojiblancos were whistled off by their own supporters following Wednesday's goalless home draw against Segunda Division B Orihuela in the Copa del Rey.
However, two goals from Diego Forlan and further efforts from John Heitinga and Maxi Rodriguez saw those jeers turn to cheers as Javier Aguirre's men brushed aside the challenge of Depor, whose late onslaught and consolation goal from Luis Filipe were nowhere near enough.
The feel-good factor at the end of the game was in contrast to that prior to kick-off, with the Rojiblancos under the spotlight after winning just two of their previous nine competitive games and being held 0-0 by bottom club Osasuna last weekend and then by Orihuela in midweek. The mood in the stands was not helped by a low-key start and the first signs of discontent could be heard after around 20 minutes.
However, those whistles had barely started when Heitinga put a stop to them with Atletico's opening goal. A Simao corner from the right missed everybody at the front post and the unmarked Heitinga, rushing in from around the penalty spot, bundled it into the net with his midriff.
That immediately lifted the tension both among the Atletico players and their fans, and Forlan almost made 2-0 on the half-hour mark when he unleashed a 30-yard thunderbolt that Depor goalkeeper Daniel Aranzubia clawed against the far post.
Depor could have put a fly in the ointment soon after that though when Angel Lafita found himself onside, but his low shot was brilliantly tipped behind by Leo Franco. From the resulting corner Riki then headed a good chance wide.
Aside from those scares, Atletico had few problems and they probably deserved to be further in front by the break, with Simao sliding the ball wide following a one-two with Sergio Agüero, and Heitinga unintentionally deflecting Forlan's shot onto the post - albeit while standing in an offside position.
It was third time lucky for Forlan in the 51st minute when he made the most of a terrible mistake by Alberto Lopo to double Atletico's lead. Lopo's attempted pass sold his centre-backs short and Forlan nipped in to steal possession before racing through and calmly slotting underneath Aranzubia.
Simao then stabbed a half-chance wide before Maxi made it 3-0 midway through the second half, linking up well with Aguero before driving a low shot into the corner of the net. Depor were in danger of being swamped at that point, but to their credit the Galician side tried to stage a fightback with Rodolfo Bodipo twice getting in behind the Atletico backline.
The first time he was denied by a good block by Leo Franco, before a superb last-ditch tackle by Luis Perea prevented what looked a certain goal soon after. Depor would manage to get on the scoresheet, but not before Atletico had made it 4-0 through Forlan's low left-footed drive from inside the area.
That goal ensured beyond any doubt the points would be staying in Madrid, but Depor managed to get a goal back in the 87th minute when Filipe slotted into an open net after being set up by former Atletico midfielder Juan Carlos Valerón.
Filipe and Sergio also went close late on as Depor finally caused Atletico some headaches, but it was all too little too late for Miguel Angel Lotina's side, and Atletico might also have added further goals through Ever Banega and Heitinga before claiming both the points and the applause from their fans.
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS (from Enblanquiazul.org)
MATCH STATISTICS
4 - Atlético de Madrid: Leo Franco; Perea, Heitinga, Ujfalusi, Pernía; Paulo Assuncao (Raúl García, m. 75); Maxi Rodríguez, Maniche (Banega, m. 75), Simao; Forlán and ´Kun´ Agüero (Sinama, m. 84).
1 - Deportivo de La Coruña: Aranzubía; Manuel Pablo, Lopo, Adrián López, Filipe; Juan Rodríguez, Sergio, Verdú (Bodipo, m. 64), Guardado; Lafita (Valerón m. 76); and Riki (Pablo Álvarez, m. 64).
Goals:
1-0, m. 26: Heitinga.
2-0, m. 50: Forlán.
3-0, m. 64: Maxi Rodríguez.
4-1, m. 86: Filipe.
Referee: Antonio Miguel Mateu Lahoz.
Venue: Vicente Calderón, 45.000.
Match report from SportingLife.
Posted on Sunday 16 November 2008 - 10:34:04 |
Deportivo de La Coruña moved up to sixth place in the Primera Liga thanks to a narrow home victory over Espanyol on Sunday.
Andres Guardado's first-half strike proved enough for the Galicians in a tight match and propels Miguel Angel Lotina's side into the top six after Atletico Madrid were held to a goalless draw at Osasuna.
Deportivo and Espanyol came into this game in mid-table, with 12 points apiece from the opening nine rounds of the championship. Both teams have been inconsistent in recent weeks, but both headed into this match on the back of a win.
Depor ended a disappointing run with a 3-0 triumph at Real Betis last weekend, while Espanyol also returned to winning ways by beating lowly Osasuna by a single goal at Montjuic.
Raul Tamudo, Espanyol's evergreen captain, bagged that strike and the veteran forward looked lively in the early stages of this game. But the first real chance of the match fell to the home side, when Joan Verdu turned two defenders and flashed a low shot into the side-netting after five minutes.
Some of the crowd thought the ball had gone in, but they would have to wait over half an hour more to celebrate a Deportivo goal. It arrived eight minutes before the break. Angel Lafita picked out Guardado in the area and the winger drove home an angled shot which gave Carlos Kameni no chance. It was the Mexico midfielder's first goal of the season and was no more than he deserved after beginning the move with an impressive dribble.
It came somewhat against the run of play because Espanyol had dominated possession in the minutes leading up to the goal and could have gone ahead themselves. Tamudo fired a shot just wide on the turn after half an hour and Filipe Luis cleared the ball from under Luis Garcia's nose minutes later.
But Deportivo probably edged the first half in terms of possession and chances. The Galicians had dominated early on and could have gone two ahead five minutes before the break. Guardado was involved again, this time setting up Verdu, but the forward blasted his shot wastefully over the bar.
Espanyol began the second half with a flourish and Luis Garcia almost got on the end of Nene's cross. Sergio Sanchez then saw his effort brilliantly saved by Deportivo keeper Daniel Aranzubia as the visitors pressed for an equaliser. But the hosts continued to look dangerous and Lafita flashed a dangerous centre across the goal-line after 62 minutes.
Espanyol threw men forward in the closing stages, but left more spaces at the back and Deportivo should have taken advantage. Substitute Rodolfo Bodipo crashed a shot against the post with 16 minutes remaining and was also denied when one on one with Kameni. Lafita was also denied by the Cameroon goalkeeper late on, but Deportivo held on for an important victory which sees them climb to sixth. Following their defeat, Espanyol drop to 12th place.
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS (from Enblanquiazul.org)
MATCH STATISTICS
Deportivo de La Coruña, 1: Aranzubia; Manuel Pablo, Lopo, Zé Castro (Piscu, m.73), Filipe Luis; Sergio, Juan Rodríguez; Lafita, Verdú (Valerón, m.85), Guardado; and Riki (Bodipo, m.67)
RCD Espanyol, 0: Kameni; Sergio Sánchez, Pareja (Ángel, m.46), Lacruz, Beranger; Moisés Hurtado, Román Martínez (Lola, m.82); Coro, Luis García, Nené (Valdo, m.64); and Tamudo
Goals: 1-0, m.37: Guardado
Referee: Ramírez Domínguez.
Venue: Riazor (12.000).
Match report from SportingLife.
Posted on Tuesday 11 November 2008 - 10:27:06 |
Julian de Guzman just had an ultrasound scan in the USP Santa Teresa hospital in La Coruña this afternoon. RC Deportivo's Medical Services detected a microrupture on the left leg's femoral biceps. Julian will begin now medical and physiotherapy treatments.
The estimated recovering time is about three weeks, depending on the player's progress. Julian de Guzman got injured last Sunday, in the 8th minute of the Real Betis vs Betis league game.
Source: CanalDeportivo.com
Posted on Tuesday 04 November 2008 - 17:22:02 |
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