With a 5-2 victory over La Liga leaders Real Madrid on Saturday, Julian Alvarez scored twice, putting an end to their perfect start to the season for their rivals.
At the Metropolitano Stadium, Diego Simeone’s Atletico overran them in all six of their opening games, taking the lead through Robin Le Normand.
Real Madrid opened the scoring with Kylian Mbappe and Arda Guler, but Alexander Sorloth equalized for Atletico at the conclusion of a thrilling first half.
After a shaky start to the campaign, with Atletico moving provisionally to fourth, Alvarez fired home from the penalty spot and bent home a free kick before Antoine Griezmann scored the fifth late on to seal an important win.
Real entered the derby as the only team in the league with a 100 percent record, led by a flying Mbappe.
Atletico attacked relentlessly and deservedly won despite the French superstar’s eighth league goal of the year.
Le Normand headed home after 14 minutes to start the scoring after coach Diego Simeone’s son, Giuliano Simeone, made use of slack Madrid defense.
After breaking in down the right, Mbappe leveled with a crisp finish and the visitors did well.
With Alonso’s side hoping to move forward on the counter, Atletico were attempting to make use of Vinicius Junior and Mbappe’s pace.
The Brazilian winger crossed for Guler to score in the second goal of Madrid, turning brilliantly in the box to break away from Marcos Llorente and Le Normand.
As Atletico continued to advance, Alvarez curled a shot around Thibaut Courtois but against the box. In the middle of the match, Alvarez scored a hat-trick against Rayo Vallecano.
Clement Lenglet, a defensive partner for Atletico, scored, but the Frenchman used his forearm to deflect the ball home. The goal was declared a handball.
With Sorloth lurking behind Dean Huijsen and sending a header past Courtois in the first half of stoppage time, Atletico leveled.
The Norwegian international was celebrating with Atletico fans when they embraced him, a risky move when he was already receiving a yellow card.
When Guler awarded a penalty for hitting Nico Gonzalez with a high foot, which caught the Rojiblanco player’s head, Atletico took the lead for the second time in the match.
Even though Alvarez went the wrong way, Courtois won the match from the spot after a penalty that was controversially disallowed in the Champions League shoot-out the previous time these teams met.
Courtois saved from Sorloth, but Atletico pushed two goals clear with his free kick despite having a hand to Alvarez’s free kick.
After only their third league victory of the season, Atletico talisman Griezmann’s team won by rolling the ball past Courtois in a superb victory for their team.
Source: Channels TV
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