Narration and statistics This is how we live the game
Villarreal gave the first disappointment of the course to an Atlético with whom he intends to match up in the nobility of LaLiga.
You can achieve it by maintaining the good line that you have this year, with three victories in as many official matches after a preseason that has ended undefeated.
A goal from Yeremy, after a defensive error, and another from Gerard when Simeone's men were already desperate punished the rojiblanco team, whose reaction in the second half after a gray start was frustrated by a great Rulli.
[Narration and stats: 0-2]
The enthusiasm with which he went into the match did not last long for Atlético.
In just half a minute Morata had already planted himself against Rulli, although offside, to finish off a ball from close range that the Argentine saved.
Villarreal's response was impressive, seizing the ball and managing the game as they pleased for many minutes until they minimized Simeone's team, who did not know very well how to act.
When he pressed high up, Emery's men found a way to get out once they found Capoue, who gave the game great verticality to take advantage of the mobility of players like Yeremy and Jackson.
When he waited behind, he allowed Villarreal to play as they pleased under Parejo's baton and to reach his area with relative ease.
Oblak had to work hard to save the first two visitors' attempts, a shot by Lo Celso from the edge of the box and a shot by Capoue after a messy action in the athletic area that forced the Slovenian to use reflexes to get a good hand.
The first big scare was given by Gerard.
After one of Emery's prepared blackboard actions, the ball fell to the Catalan in the mouth of the goal but his first shot crashed against the crossbar.
He did manage to hole out after the rebound but the VAR detected that he had done it with the help of his arm.
From Atlético, meanwhile, there was little news although the Cholo team began to wake up after the serious warning from Villarreal.
He went by sending balls to Morata, whom his teammates had not found until then.
The supposed red-and-white superiority on the wings with two lanes like Molina and Carrasco did not exist and it was Lemar who became the striker's best partner, serving a couple of balls to the area that he managed to finish off but without compromising Rulli.
Atlético missed Joao Felix, who timidly appeared at the start of the second half, coinciding with the improvement of the rojiblancos, who managed to balance the balance and Villarreal did not feel so comfortable.
Simeone's changes also contributed to the improvement. As soon as they came out, Carrasco and Cunha created the best chance until then but Rulli blocked the Brazilian's shot by diving at his feet.
Even clearer would be the double opportunity that Cunha and Carrasco had.
The crossbar prevented the goal of the first but when the Metropolitano already sang a goal after the Belgian's header, Rulli appeared to put his hand when the ball had almost completely passed through.
Right in the best minutes of Atlético came the goal that paved the yellow victory, the result of a gift from Molina after a poor clearance that Yeremy did not miss.
Gerard would also end up taking advantage of the rojiblancas urgencies in the last minutes to put an end to his curse and score his first goal against Atlético.
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