Giuliano’s speed and Sorloth’s power sparked Atlético when they needed it most to defeat the curious Belgian St-Gilloise. It was not easy for Simeone’s team, who took a while to get a feel for the rival and the game and found themselves in a hurry in the final stretch until Llorente scored the final 3-1.
3
Jan Oblak, Matteo Ruggeri, Nahuel Molina, Robin Le Normand (José María Giménez, min. 25), Dávid Hancko, Álex Baena (Conor Gallagher, min. 61), Giuliano Simeone (Marcos Llorente, min. 87), Pablo Barrios, Koke (Thiago Almada, min. 61), Julián Alvarez and Antoine Griezmann (Alexander Sørloth, min.
1
Kjell Scherpen, Ross Sykes, Kevin Mac Allister, Christian Burgess, Ousseynou Niang, Adem Zorgane, Anan Khalaili (Louis Patris, min. 84), Kamiel Van de Perre (Mathias Rasmussen, min. 73), Rob Schoofs (Promise David, min. 59), Anouar Ait El Hadj (Sofiane Boufal, min. 73) and Kevin Rodríguez (Marc Giger, min. 73)
Goals
1-0 min. 38: Julián Álvarez. 2-0 min. 71: Conor Gallagher. 2-1 min. 79: Ross Sykes. 3-1 min. 95: Marcos Llorente
Referee Espen Eskås
yellow cards
Kamiel Van de Perre (min. 44), Ousseynou Niang (min. 65), Nahuel Molina (min. 67), Kevin Mac Allister (min. 80)
Simeone set up a team in which he gave the sides to the deserving Molina and Ruggeri, Barrios reappeared alongside Koke and Baena fell to the left to give Griezmann the mission of feeding Julián Alvarez. The substitution of Llorente, who had accumulated 33 consecutive games between the end of last year and this one, playing the games from opening whistle to full-time, made the news. Face Union St-Gilloise, the old Belgian champion from before World War II, revived for the sake of algorithms and artificial intelligence. A methodology that avoids classism in the scouting of many of the sports directorates of the major leagues and traces the underworld of football to try to put together teams of players who under normal conditions would have remained outcasts. That has allowed them to win the last Belgian league ahead of Genk and Anderlecht and be able to compete in this Champions League, which is no small thing.
The players of young coach David Hubert (37 years old), also under the influence of a thorough study for the design of the spaces to occupy, were well planted, leading the game. The minutes passed and Atlético did not get past the midfield to the despair of Simeone. Cartesian and academic as these teams are, magnified by insatiable metrics, when they can play what they want, they can get you into trouble. Their best individuals, the powerful Kevin Rodríguez and the fine Ait El Hadj, tried to show themselves.
The point is that the minutes passed and Atlético had not shot on goal. Neither Molina nor Ruggeri, who lower the level of Llorente on the right and Hancko when he occupies the left lane, did not sting. Neither the Italian nor now Molina are dominant full-backs. In the middle, Barrios and Koke were short-circuited and forced to take inane little steps. Griezmann and Julián Alvarez were of little importance because with that pace of the ball it is impossible for them to be activated with balls in advantage.
Barrios with a back heel to unload a wall was the first to show where the solution is: in speed, whether with the ball or with the legs. Baena also understood that he had to start getting deeper inside. The first time he did it he generated Atlético’s first shot on goal. A centered shot by Julián Álvarez. Union St-Gilloise remained firm and even comfortable. Their left winger Niang and their midfield bosses Van de Perre and Zorgane also looked palmetto. Oblak did not have to intervene but he saw a couple of crosses pass by that worried him. In those, Le Normad with muscle problems had to be replaced by Giménez. The Spanish-French central defender had been more stretched than any of the three from St-Gilloise.
It had to be the Moto Gp that Giuliano refueled with his faith that opened the game for Atlético, Barrios saw him break and with sixth gear on he stepped into the area, braked and saw Julián Alvarez unmarked at the penalty spot. The Argentine did not forgive. With the second shot, on the edge of half-time, Atlético scored. And one more to the third after Molina signed his best action with a long shot that hit the post and Griezmann pushed at will, but offside.
The goal gave Atlético more confidence at the start of the second half. He stepped on the opposing field more and loaded the area more against a St-Gilloise that was already less of a hindrance. Simeone gave way to Sorloth, Almada and Gallagher for Koke, Griezmann and Almada shortly after Promise had the tie on a loose ball. Sorloth was differential breaking into space. His teammates and his coach have realized that he can do more damage breaking to the sides than acting as a nine-pointer in the area. Gallagher finished one of his penetrations with a violent right hand. The 2-0 stung the pride of the Belgian champion. Ross Sykes caught an unappealable header from a corner kick and just as Julián had it 3-1 Paris had it 2-2. Llorente put an end to the stress after another gallop from Sorloth.
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