Saul stunner gives Atletico advantage over Bayern : The Tribune India

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Saul stunner gives Atletico advantage over Bayern

MADRID:A breathtaking individual goal from Saul Niguez put Atletico Madrid in the box seat in their Champions League semifinal against Bayern Munich with a 1-0 victory in a tense first leg on Wednesday.

Saul stunner gives Atletico advantage over Bayern

Atletico Madrid’s Saul Niguez (R) celebrates the goal with teammates during the UEFA Champions League semifinal (first leg) against Bayern Munich in Madrid on Wednesday. AFP



MADRID, April 28 

A breathtaking individual goal from Saul Niguez put Atletico Madrid in the box seat in their Champions League semifinal against Bayern Munich with a 1-0 victory in a tense first leg on Wednesday.

The midfielder magically weaved his way through the Bayern defence and produced a low finish that went in off the post to put the home side in front after 11 minutes.

Diego Simeone’s superbly-drilled outfit then snuffed out Bayern’s threat and even came close to doubling their lead late on when Fernando Torres’s shot struck the post.

“It was a great game, everyone believed in their work. We put in a huge effort,” said Simeone, whose Atletico side have frequently been a scourge of more-fancied opponents with their disciplined rearguard frustrating Barcelona in the last round.

While Bayern’s David Alaba also hit the woodwork with a thumping drive, the result left Pep Guardiola’s side facing a huge task in next week’s return leg in Munich to avoid a third successive semifinal exit.

“I’m not happy with how we played,” said Guardiola, who is leaving Bayern in the close-season to join Manchester City. “We started badly. The goal was a consequence of our slow play. We didn’t win even one battle.” 

Atletico made an intense start in the first competitive meeting between the two sides since Bayern beat the Spaniards 4-0 in the 1974 European Cup final replay.

Saul drove them in front with a sensational run from the right, snaking inside and beating three players before fending off two more and bending the ball in off the far post with a flick of his left boot. — Reuters

Champions league

Result

Atletico 1 0 Bayern

Niguez 11’

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