Atletico Madrid left it late to secure the points with a 2-0 defeat of Rayo Vallecano at the Vallecas stadium. The hosts kept things tight in the first half despite Atletico having several opportunities to open the scoring, which included Fernando Torres' being denied by keeper Yoel in a short-range shoot. Chances continued to flow for Diego Simeone's side in the second half, with defender Diego Godin coming closest with a set piece header before Angel Correa finished a neat passing move to break the deadlock on 88 minutes and Antoine Griezmann made certain in the dying moments. -Liga BBVA Table-

Atlético de Madrid sought the victory from the first minute of play, but despite the domain and the chances, the goal did not come. Saúl and Giménez warned the players from Vallecas with two shots that missed the goal at the start of the match, but it was Carrasco who tested Yoel after a quarter of an hour.

Shortly after, it was Griezmann, to a pass from Torres, who finished and the goalkeeper saved his team. But the clearest chance was for Atletico’s number 9 with a shot answered by the rival goalkeeper Yoel with a great save sending the ball to the corner. On the contrary, Oblak only had to intervene once to a shot by Javi Guerra when the first half was ending.

In the second half Rayo tried to get ahead on the scoreboard but met the wall of Oblak. Also Yoel saved locals from first blood from a Griezzman shot after an assist by Torres from a corner. Atlético de Madrid controlled again the match and the goal could have arrived with a header from Godín, that was miraculously saved by the keeper from Vallecas.

What the rival team did not avoid was defeat, because an extraordinary ply from Thomas served for Correa to decide in the final stretch. Then, there was time for Griezmann to score again from a pass by Jackson. Without it being a sublime match from our tem, they knew how to play their strengths and sentence Rayo at the end.

- Match stats:

Rayo Vallecano: Yoel; Llorente (Miku, 89’), Dorado (Zhang, 81’), Zé Castro, Quini; Lass (Bebé, 71’), Trashorras, Jozabed, Pablo Hernández; Manucho and Javi Guerra.

Atlético de Madrid: Oblak; Juanfran, Giménez, Jesús Gámez; Óliver Torres (Correa, 59’), Saúl, Koke; Griezmann, Fernando Torres (Thomas, 62’) and Carrasco (Jackson Martínez, 70’).

Referee: Sánchez Martínez (Committee from Murcia). Booked the home players Yoel (33’), Llorente (69’), Zé Castro (80’); and the visiting Fernando Torres (44’), Jesús Gámez (72’), Giménez (74’).

Goals:

0-1 (88’) Correa receives a masterful pass from Thomas and shoots at Yoel.

0-2 (90’) Griezmann rises in front of Yoel after a good pass from Jackson Martínez.

- Match report by clubatleticodemadrid.com