Atlético Madrid also won game number two in LaLiga on Sunday. Diego Simeone’s team was 1-0 too strong for PhD candidate Elche on Sunday evening thanks to a goal from Ángel Correa, who had already scored twice against Celta de Vigo (1-2 last week). Atlético has never lost a competition match in which the Argentinian was accurate: 30 wins and 4 draws in 34 LaLiga matches. It was the hundredth official game for Atletico in the Wanda Metropolitano, the home of los Colchoneros since 2017.
In a first half with no chances and in which Atlético had only 36.7 percent (!) possession of the ball, a huge blunder by Kiko Casilla was the basis of the opening goal. The goalkeeper was on the edge of the penalty area before the ball was reached before the deep-driven Correa, but he finally kicked the ball over. It was a breeze for Correa to put Simeone’s team in the lead: 1-0.
golazo! Ángel Correa benefits from a strange move by Kiko Casilla: 1-0 ???#ZiggoSport #LaLiga #AthletiElche pic.twitter.com/1BDS3tVgBg
— Ziggo Sport Football (@ZS_Voetbal) August 22, 2021
Elche did owe Casilla in the second half that the score did not rise further. The goalkeeper reacted well to a firm header from José María Giménez and a shot from the turn by Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco was also a prey for the goalkeeper. After just over an hour of play, Luis Suarez made his appearance as a replacement for Thomas Lemar, but the attacker also failed to score his first goal of the season on the second day of play.
Elche continued to believe in at least a draw and also had the prospect of a goal through debutant Darío Benedetto. Goalkeeper Jan Oblak, however, made a certain impression and defused the few opportunities. As the second half progressed, the game was interrupted more and more often in favor of Atletico. The defending champion will play at home against Villarreal in a week.