Atletico of Madrid started the 07 King’s Cup with a defeat aginst Levante. Vicente Calderon Stadium and the rain were witnesses of the red and white defeat against a squad that went into the field to tie and they ended winning thanks to Nino’s goal the goal almost at the end of the match. A good start for Lopez Caro’s players and a bad start for Aguirre’s players, whom should work hard at Ciudad of Valencia Stadium to pass the knockout competition.

Atletico began the Cup just like the Mexican coach said: with Ze Castro instead of Pablo at defense and at the middle field with the trio composed by Luccin, Maniche and Costinha. On the forward line Fernando Torres with Agüero as the offensive couple. The local team took the initiative from the first minute looking for the goal, but they found an iron rival with clear ideas: the main objective, a tie. The first occasion came by Fernando Torres starting an individual move at the right side which Jurado ended shooting. Maniche also tried it twice without luck from outside the area. At 19’ the captain tried it again with the same result from the front of the area and in front of the opposition of three defenders. And until that moment had been the turn of the red and white offense, when the rival began to believe in their fast break options.

The red and white team didn’t feel very comfortable at Calderon’s grass, without depth and without communication among the midfield players and the forwards. Fernando Torres and ‘Kun’ were forced to get back their positions in order to touch the ball and they barely had moments to make danger in the area. Minutes were running and the match started changing almost at the edge of the break, when Levante warned with a foul kick well thrown by Kapo that made Leo Franco work hard to stop it.

At the second half Atletico demonstrated the same willing than in the first half, but with the same result. Neither the entered of Valera instead of Luccin nor Galletti entered instead of Seitaridis was able to change the way the match seemed to go to a tie without goals. The red and white team suffered in excess to get closer to Cavallero’s area and hardly enjoyed clear goal occasions during the second half. That way, Levante exhibited the same concentration level than in the first half and they didn’t make mistakes in defense to let the red and white team go through the burgundy wall.

The last minutes of the match were passing and everything pointed out that the match was going to finish with a tie without goals. It was coming the moment for the hard punch to Aguirre’s players. Four minutes left for the end of the match and the visitants scored the victory goal, a goal scored by Nino: the player from Levante finished a play in which Leo Franco could save it twice but wasn’t able a third time, and the shot by Nino went inevitable to the bottom of the red and white net.

With this defeat Atletico of Madrid complicates its life in the King’s Cup and should play the knockout competition in fifteen days at Ciudad of Valencia Stadium.


Technical data:

Atletico of Madrid: Leo Franco; Seitaridis (Galletti, 62’), Ze Castro, Perea, Pernia; Costinha, Maniche, Luccin (Valera, 46’), Jurado; Aguero and Fernando Torres.

Levante: Cavallero; Descarga (Alvaro, 76’), Dehu, CИsar, Courtois; N’Diaye, Berson, Carmelo (Luyindula, 66’), Kapo; Riga and Nino (Tommasi, 87’).

Referee: Ramirez Dominguez. Showed yellow card to Cesar (64’), Courtois (68’), N’Diaye (83’) and Cavallero (88’).

Goals:

0-1 (86’). Nino took advantage of a reject in the area and score with a down shot.


Photo: www.clubatleticodemadrid.com