• Narration: This is how we live the game

  • First Classification

In this strange week of heroic goalkeepers, of José Juan and Ramón Juan nurturing modest cup dreams, of Bono and Rui Silva stopping league penalties at the last gasp, Dmitrovic wanted to be the protagonist in another way, unusual for a goalkeeper.

Specifically, scoring a penalty.

And yes, he succeeded, leaving everyone surprised except his companions, who already knew that he was the chosen one.

But full glory was eluded by the Serbian goalkeeper because Luis Suárez wanted it that way.

The Uruguayan's subsequent goals, the second also from a penalty, left Dmitrovic's goal as a mere anecdote for the history books, who will continue to shoot from 11 meters when Eibar is presented with such an occasion.

It matters little to an Atlético that, after the first round - although still with two games pending - continues to be launched towards the league title.

Oblak laughed when he saw how it was Dmitrovic, dressed in sepulchral black, who grabbed the ball to take Carrasco's clear penalty on Muto.

Actually, everyone was amazed, but the slogan was clear.

This season Eibar had only scored two of the five penalties they had taken and after the last failure, by Exposito against Granada on January 3, Mendilibar decided to grant his goalkeeper the privilege of taking the next penalty.

"It was his idea," said the doorman later.

He also wants to shoot free kicks, he practices both arts in training, but for that he still does not have the permission of his coach, who at the moment of the pitch turned his back on the field because he did not even want to see what happened.

"Goal?" Asked Mendilibar.

And yes, goal.

The dry hit with the instep, more powerful than well placed, became the first goalkeeper to score a goal in the League since Aranzubia in 2011. To find another penalty, you have to go back to Nacho González in 2002. In total, only Seven goalkeepers have scored a goal in the 90-year history of the League: Fenoy, Santamaría, Chilavert, Prats and the three already mentioned.

Dmitrovic put Eibar ahead with a penalty.

Such a scene, of course, left Atlético stunned for a long time, little used to conceding goals and much less in that way.

In reality, Simeone's men were paralyzed for almost the entire first half, burdened by the insistent gunman pressure and unable to reach danger zones despite having the ball for a longer time.

He had to wait for Sergio Alvarez to relax excessively on a punt to even things out.

Llorente went to the pressure, jumped to intercept the delivery with his body and the ball reached Suárez, who did what he does best, bow his head, accelerate just three meters and score a goal from inside the area.

Simeone, however, was not fooled.

With that goal or without it, Atlético weren't playing a good game, so after half-time they gave in to Torreira and Joao Félix for Lemar and Correa.

Perhaps the body asked him to have withdrawn Saúl - blurred as a midfielder replacing Koke - instead of the French, but Cholo surely prevailed over the Elche's need to gain confidence.

That too is the job of a technician.

The changes did not improve Atlético, perhaps on the contrary.

The leader was still having great difficulty weaving long possessions and getting close to Dmitrovic's goal.

There was no news from Vrsaljko and little from Carrasco.

Without their participation, well dried by Mendilibar's men, Atlético was stuck in the central plot.

Llorente seemed to be everywhere, but it was not enough.

In any other season, the match would have ended in a draw.

But this year Atlético has Luis Suárez.

And he alone was enough in the 87th minute to provoke a penalty -or penalty- from Arbilla and to transform it into the panenka.

And so, Atlético achieved a new victory that makes them more of a leader and Dmitrovic was left without glory, who killed iron and died iron.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

Know more

  • sports

  • soccer

  • First division

  • Atlético de Madrid

  • SD Eibar

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