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MOTD- Real Madrid 0-1 Atletico Madrid

By on September 28, 2013
Diego Costa wheels away to celebrate his winner at the Bernabeu.

Diego Costa wheels away to celebrate his winner at the Bernabeu.

Diego Costa’s first half strike ended Real Madrid’s dominance in the Madrid derby as Atletico Madrid saw out their first league win over their bitter rivals since 1999. A total of eight yellow cards were given out by referee Antonio Mateu in the feisty derby, in which Atletico moved up to joint top of the La Liga table with their second derby win in the last five months.

Diego Simone’s side were brilliant on the counter-attack, and after an energetic start the away side found themselves in front at the Bernabue on eleven minutes. Koke cut out a Madrid pass deep into Los Blancos’ half before sliding it into the run of Costa down the left, with the in-form forward tucking a low shot past the oncoming Madrid goalkeeper Diego Lopez. Although Madrid looked a bit shaky they began to create more of their own chances as they found their way into the match. Carlo Ancelotti’s side should have been in front in the twenty-sixth minute when Karim Benzema powered a dangerous Angel Di Maria cross from the right towards goal, yet Thibaut Courtois managed to get down low and push the header wide to his left. Moments later Benzema curled another header just wide at the back post, but Real really should have gone two down in the twenty-ninth minute. Tiago slammed a curling corner over the crossbar, despite being completely unmarked six yards out from goal, leaving his marker Sergio Ramos off the hook.

Atletico continued to find space on the counter-attack, and shortly after Arda Turan sliced a side volley inches over from the edge of the box Diego Godin powered a Atleti corner towards goal at the near post. Lopez did well to block the header but was forced to react quickly to smother the rebound off the foot of Costa.

As the match rolled on to the second half Atletico created many opportunities to double their lead, only to find the final touch lacking. Costa was slipped in on goal by Koke but fired a low shot straight at Lopez from fifteen yards in the sixty-first minute, yet Madrid began to find some of heir rhythm with half-time substitute Gareth Bale forcing his way into the match. The Welshman nearly found a goal on his home debut, firing a low dipping shot towards goal from the edge of the box on the right, which Courtois grabbed under his control on his second attempt.

Ancelotti’s side again came close to equalizing in the sixty-ninth minute when Luka Modric hit a screaming volley from the edge of the box inches over the bar following a saved Cristiano Ronaldo shot, but found Atletico’s relentlessly working men stifling most of their attacks. Simone’s side was so nearly rewarded for their defensive efforts in the eighty-first minute when David Villa ghosted by Sami Khedira I the Madrid box before curling a supreme effort onto the crossbar from fifteen yards. Yet seconds later Madrid almost made Atletico pay for the missed chance as Khedira’s clipped cross from the right was met by a wonderful Alvaro Morata first time scissor-kick. Courtois somehow managed to parry the screaming effort away, allowing Atletico to clear and waste valuable seconds. Madrid attempted to find the all important equalizer in the remaining moments, but after three minutes of added time Antonio Mateu blew the whistle for full time.
Man of the Match: Diego Costa

About Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.