Atletico Madrid secured a vital 2-1 derby win over Real Madrid, moving into second place in La Liga. Goals from Alejandro Grimaldo and Jonathan David in the second half were enough to overcome a rival who finished with ten men after Dean Huijsen's red card.
A match that ignited after the break
The game at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano was evenly poised until the referee pointed to the spot. Dean Huijsen brought down Giuliano Simeone inside the area and was shown a straight red card. Grimaldo coolly converted the penalty in the 53rd minute. Just six minutes later, Jonathan David, set up by Simeone, doubled the lead with a powerful finish.
Real Madrid tried to respond, but Atletico maintained control. Thibaut Courtois was called into action several times, notably saving a long-range effort from Álex Baena. The visitors got a consolation goal in the 89th minute when Antonio Rüdiger scored from a free-kick, but time ran out.
Controversy and the table context
The match had a controversial moment in the first half. Jude Bellingham was initially shown a yellow card after a tussle with Cristian Romero. Following a VAR review, the card was rescinded for the Englishman and Romero was booked for stamping on Bellingham's thigh. Later, Madrid also protested an incident involving Lee Kang-in and Federico Valverde.
The win is key in the title race. Atletico now have 16 points from seven games, with a record of five wins, one draw and one loss. They sit in second place, five points behind leaders Barcelona, who have a perfect record.
Diego Simeone's team arrives at this success on a run of three consecutive league wins, including a commanding 4-0 victory over Osasuna. Álex Baena, with four goals in seven appearances, is the team's top scorer this season. The next fixture is a trip to Mendizorroza to face Alaves, who are sixth, after the international break. All the details on upcoming games are on our fixtures page.
Read the full report at reuters.com
