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LONDON:
Atletico Madrid dropped two more points in an increasingly frustrating campaign with a 1-1 draw at Almeria on Sunday in La Liga.
The visitors went ahead through Angel Correa but El Bilal Toure pegged back Diego Simeone’s side, fourth and 13 points behind leaders Barcelona.
Atletico should have won the game in the second half but Almeria goalkeeper Fernando Martinez made stunning saves to deny Alvaro Morata and Correa.
Sergio Reguilon, who came on as a substitute, was sent off for Atletico for two yellow cards in under five minutes in the final stages.
Simeone’s side have now won just one of their last six league games, against bottom-of-the-table Elche, and could not bounce back from their defeat by Barcelona last weekend.
“We had a lot of chances to score,” Atletico defender Mario Hermoso told DAZN.
“You are left with a strange feeling when you aren’t capable of winning.
“If we had scored three clear chances in the first half and three in the second, the game would have been more comfortable, and with a bigger scoreline, they had two chances.”
Atletico had taken the lead in the 18th minute after a clever dummy by Antoine Griezmann allowed Correa to run on to Geoffrey Kondogbia’s pass.
The Argentine fired home at the near post to record his 50th league goal for the Rojiblancos.
Sergio Akieme lashed over as Almeria searched for an instant response, more than holding their own in the first half.
Eventually the hosts levelled before the break through Toure, netting his fourth league goal of the season with a powerful header from Lucas Robertone’s cross.
The Mali international found space behind Axel Witsel and capitalised brilliantly.
Robertone continued to prove a thorn in Atletico’s side in the second half, playing a fine ball to Colombian striker Luis Suarez, who sent an effort wide.
Atletico substitute Morata should have levelled at the end of a swift counter but Almeria goalkeeper Fernando clawed out his effort and then pushed the loose ball to safety.
The stopper then produced another sublime save with his leg to deny Correa from point blank range.
Fernando’s saves saw his team move three points clear of the relegation zone, up to 13th.
“Sometimes they take two shots and score two goals and other times you are lucky enough to be able to help the team,” Fernando told DAZN.
“We have to continue, the season is long and we will have to fight.”
Earlier Espanyol won 2-1 at Getafe, with striker Joselu scoring from around 40 yards out.
The forward lobbed David Soria in the sixth minute to break the deadlock, but Enes Unal equalised with a superb effort of his own from a wide position on the left.
Javi Puado won the game for the visitors with a fine solo dribble and finish in the second half, helping Espanyol climb to 14th, level on points with opponents Getafe, 15th.
Espanyol’s win means Sevilla drop provisionally to 18th after their defeat at Girona on Saturday.
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