La Liga: Atletico Madrid beat Espanyol thanks to late Alex Baena goal

Atletico Madrid secured a valuable victory on Espanyol Barcelona's turf, winning 0-1 thanks to a goal from Alex Baena in the 89th minute. The match, played at the RCDE Stadium, long seemed to be heading for a draw, but Baena's introduction changed the game. According to Placar, the player, who came on as a substitute, scored in the 44th minute of the second half, allowing his team to win away and maintain their position as vice-leaders of the Spanish Championship.

A victory at the end of stoppage time

Baena's goal came in the final seconds of the match, as several sources report. Corriere dello Sport describes a victory "at the photo finish," while kicker specifies that the goal was scored in the 89th minute. So Foot speaks of a victory "on the bell," and zerozero indicates that the goal came in the 90th minute. According to Estadio Deportivo, Atletico sought the win for the full 90 minutes, but only found it at the end, thanks to a "spectacular strike" from Baena, against which Espanyol's goalkeeper, Fortuño, could do nothing. The latter was named his team's best player.

A sixth consecutive victory

This victory is Atletico Madrid's sixth in a row, as zerozero points out. The Colchoneros, coached by Simeone, thus put pressure on FC Barcelona, the league leaders. According to The Guardian, this win piles the pressure on Barcelona, who travel to Betis this matchday, as zerozero notes. Mundo Deportivo, for its part, mentions another injury blow for Espanyol, while El Mundo talks of a goal that "wakes Atletico from their nap."

A defeat that sinks Espanyol

For Espanyol, this home defeat is another heavy blow. Estadio Deportivo headlines that this loss "sinks" coach Manolo González. The Catalan club, playing at home, failed to contain Atletico's onslaught, despite a solid display from their goalkeeper. The RCDE Stadium thus saw the three points slip away in the final seconds, leaving the Periquitos with a bitter taste.