Gimenez's Own Goal Ends Atletico’s Unbeaten Streak in Defeat to Real Betis
Atletico Madrid’s unbeaten run in LaLiga came to a disappointing end on Sunday as they suffered a 1-0 defeat against Real Betis, courtesy of an own goal by defender Jose Maria Gimenez. This loss not only halted Atletico’s strong start to the season but also allowed Betis to close the gap in the standings. Atletico now sits fourth in the league table with 20 points, just two ahead of Betis.
The decisive moment came early in the game when Gimenez accidentally deflected Abde Ezzalzouli’s cross into his own net, handing Betis the lead just four minutes after kickoff. Despite Atletico’s attempts to fight back, they struggled to regain control and were ultimately unable to respond with a goal.
Atletico's attacking efforts were led by Antoine Griezmann and the Argentine duo of Julian Alvarez and Rodrigo De Paul, but the team lacked sharpness in the final third. Their best opportunity came when Reinildo Mandava connected with a corner kick, only to see his powerful header denied by a brilliant save from Betis goalkeeper Rui Silva.
Betis, on the other hand, continued to put pressure on Atletico throughout the match. Striker Vitor Roque found the back of the net in the second half, but his goal was ruled out for offside. The home side’s relentless attacking kept Atletico on the back foot, leaving them with limited room to mount an effective comeback.
This defeat compounded a challenging week for Diego Simeone’s side, who also suffered a 3-0 loss to Lille in the Champions League. Reflecting on the setback, Simeone said, "Football is about work. When you only achieve continuity in parts, you suffer."
Atletico captain Koke expressed the need for resilience, emphasizing the importance of staying focused despite the gap to league leaders Barcelona. "We have to keep going, Barcelona are 10 points ahead. There's a lot left, and we need to work harder and compete," Koke said.
The Madrid club will look to bounce back quickly as they face UE Vic in the Copa del Rey on Thursday, followed by a league clash against Las Palmas on Sunday.
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