Atletico of Madrid achieved a great result in their visit at Ciudad Valencia Stadium, where they crushed Levante 0-3 with goals by Fernando Torres’ -that open the scoreboard from the penalty point- and Maniche twice. The red and white team made a serious match, with work and order as the base to settle a practical football, without showing off and, above all, very effective. Serious in defence and sharp in the forward line, Aguirre’s team found the clue to overcome Levante’s muscle and strategy without difficulty.

The Mexican coach bet from the beginning for the double striker Torres-Agüero with Galletti and Antonio Lopez at both sides, providing a high offensive weight to the team than with the trio at the middle field. The first moves of the match showed two teams with a lot of respect, although step by step Atletico was getting control of the match. It wasn’t useful for the red and white team the possession against a good positioned Levante that hardly let holes to get closer to Molina’s area.

At 24’ Luccin open the hostilities with a far foul kick, in which the French player tried to surprise when everybody was waiting for a pass to the area. The ball left the bottom line close to the left post, but soon was to come the play of the first goal. Five minutes later, Antonio Lopez went till the bottom line and before making the pass he was crushed by Déhu. The referee pointed out the penalty point and Fernando Torres didn’t forgive. Molina, in spite of guessing the direction, he couldn’t do anything against the masterly shot of number ‘9’: strong, middle height and close to the right post.

The second half began with a bet and scare by Lopez Caro’s players. The coach entered Nino and Luyindula to look for the tie and almost found one more goal against. Maniche almost was close to shot from the middle of the small area a pass by Seitaridis, but the goalkeeper took the ball at the last moment with a risky run. So Aguirre decided to strengthen the midfield, and he did it substituting Agüero by Costinha. He didn’t know that his team was going to enjoy a little after numerical superiority: at 20’ Cesar saw the red one after a hard entered from behind to Fernando Torres, when the number ‘9’ was looking for the goal of Molina.

Hardly three minutes bear the ten players of Levante without letting a goal, since Maniche increased differences with a shot from a pass by Galletti that slipped in by the top right-corner post. The Portuguese player didn’t have enough with just one goal, and seven minutes later he scored the second one of his particular account with a header by a pass of Antonio Lopez. At 36’ Torres tried to increase even more the bulky scoreboard with a half chip shot, but the shot left above the goal. That was the last action made by number ‘9’, because he left his place on the field to Gabi.

With one less player and three goals against Levante barely showed itself, while Atletico dedicated themselves to sleep the game waiting for the end of the match to obtain a wide victory. The red and white team obtained the second triumph in a row and three points that place them at European zone and only two victories from the leader.


Technical data:

Levante: Molina; Ze Maria, Cesar, Dehu, Rubiales (Luyindula, 46’); Camacho (Nino, 46’), Berson, Ettien, Courtois; Kapo and Riga (Descarga, 70’).

Atletico of Madrid: Leo Franco; Seitaridis, Ze Castro, Perea, Pernia; Luccin, Maniche, Galletti (Jurado, 70’), Antonio Lopez; Fernando Torres (Gabi, 81’) and Agüero (Costinha, 61’).

Referee: Clos Gomez. Showed red card to César (64’) and yellow card to Déhu for Levante and to Antonio López (58’) for Atlético.

Goals

0-1 (33’) Fernando Torres scores from the penalty point with a middle height close to the right post shot.

0-2 (68’) Maniche scores with a hard shot to the top right-hand corner of the net after a pass by Galletti.

0-3 (75’) Maniche header heartily after a pass by Antonio López from the right wing.


Photo: www.clubatleticodemadrid.com