Atletico late show keeps Simeone’s side riding high

Carrasco close

Atletico missed out on the chance to go clear at the top last weekend when they lost 1-0 at Malaga CF to bring to an end a nine-match unbeaten run and they were clearly keen to put the record straight at Vallecas.

Diego Simeone’s men carved the clearer chances in the opening half hour with Yannick Carrasco finding a lot of space down the left flank. The Belgian winger had a shot turned round the post, and from an identical position pulled his effort across the face of the goal, while Atletico’s top scorer Antoine Griezmann fired straight at Yoel.

Torres denied

Fernando Torres was back in the starting XI for Atletico and searching for his 100th goal with the Rojiblancos, when he was put through one-on-one with Yoel after 26 minutes, only for the Rayo keeper to push his scuffed effort around the post.

27' | 0-0 | @Torres about to score! Yoel sends to the corner in a one-on-one with number '9'. #RayoAtleti #GoAtleti pic.twitter.com/15Tkrbvl3Q

— Atleti English (@atletienglish) December 30, 2015

Jan Oblak was having a quieter day in the visitors’ goal but needed to react quickly when Javi Guerra squeezed in a low shot 10 minutes before the break.

Martinez returns

Paco Jemez’s side forced the first real chance in the second half when Lass Bangoura volleyed straight at Oblak but there was little to separate the two sides.

Saul Niguez was inches away from turning Carrasco’s low cross in at the far post after 63 minutes, and Simeone turned to Colombia striker Jackson Martinez, back from a month-long injury layoff, to try and find a winner.

#LaLigaNonStop | FINAL | @RVMOficial 0-2 @Atleti (@AngelCorrea32 y @AntoGriezmann) pic.twitter.com/mHvLi48ZYD

— LaLiga (@LaLiga) December 30, 2015

Double strike

Yoel came to Rayo’s rescue again when he palmed away Diego Godin’s header at a freekick in the 75th minute as Atletico increased the pressure on the home goal and they finally made the break-through.

The substitutes Thomas Partey and Angel Correa linked up in the 88th minute and the Argentine volleyed high into the net for the opener, and the second followed a minute later. Martinez played Griezmann through and the France striker sealed the victory with a neat lob over Yoel for his ninth of the Liga BBVA campaign.