Football moves what it moves because it is like that: unpredictable. A party that seems to be completely decided in favor suddenly turns around and in the end one is left with a face that is a poem. Or the other way around, an encounter in which you had to suffer like a wild boar suddenly turns around and gives you a victory that can change the dynamics of a team for a long time.
And we will see that last thing as the days and dates go by, but what happened with Atlético in Paris was basically that: attacking a very complicated field against one of the strongest teams in Europe -but, be careful, life has become very complicated- and to do it in a unique way that leaves a mark. A minute 93, the one that the other team in the city evokes so recurrently, in which everything happened.
The first thing was that Oblak saved a shot from Hakimi almost at point-blank range. And, in the next play, with PSG completely divided, Ángel Correa, who had entered for Julián Álvarez shortly before, ended up scoring the winning goal in the last play of the party. What’s more, it was about scoring the goal, both teams returning to their positions and blowing the final whistle almost without taking a center.
And things were not looking good for the ‘Cholo’ team at the beginning of the game. Poor Javi Galán had to face a Dembélé who we already know is as irregular as he is fearsome when he is inspired, and last night he was. As if that were not enough, behind him was Achraf Hakimi who joined every rise of the French winger, creating clear superiorities on each side that Atleti was not capable of countering. and that marked the first minutes. On the other side was Barcola, with less support from Mendes but also capable of disassembling with his speed, although less fine in connecting with the area.
The French team had already had about four clear approaches when the first goal arrived. A goal in which Clement Lenglet was fundamental… for PSG. He slept a lot to get the ball played, he didn’t see Dembélé who came from behind, he stole the ball and gave it to Zaire-Emery so he could beat Oblak and open the scoring.
Four minutes had not passed when Atlético equalized through Nahuel in their first serious approach to the Paris area. A shot from Giuliano Simeone bounced first off Mendes and then fell to the Argentine. The ball hit him in the chest and he stayed dead, hooking a flat left foot shot against the post. It was reviewed for possible handball, but there was no reason to cancel. Molina’s first goal in the Champions League and it couldn’t have come at a better time for his team.
Then Luis Enrique’s men had the ball, dominated and created several chances – more than one will wonder if Lenglet was a PSG player when he was a child, because he was on the verge of messing up again – but little by little Atleti was able to contain the waves of the local team to finish the first act in a draw, and seeing what was seen especially in the initial half hour, that is saying a lot.
Anyone who turned off the game in the 44th minute and then turned it on in the 46th minute, at the beginning of the second half, might think that there was no time of rest. Because the game returned from the locker room exactly the same as it left: with PSG subduing the ball against Atlético, who nevertheless defended themselves quite decently, things as they are. And part of the credit went to Gallagherwhich began to multiply in solidarity efforts to cover up that duo that attacked them from the left side.
Simeone refreshed the team to continue withstanding the downpour with Koke, Riquelme, Reinildo and, later, Lino and Correa. What happened later is history. The Argentine received from Griezmann and killed the game with a great goal. Thanks to him, Atlético is among the top 24 of this League phase and now the calendar is conducive to ensuring, at least, the ‘play in’. But this victory is one of those that usually have an effect beyond a single day. For now, the Champions League match ball is saved. And in what way.