Correa’s Late Strike Earns Atletico a Point in Dramatic Derby
The Madrid derby between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid ended in a dramatic 1-1 draw at the Civitas Metropolitano, with Angel Correa’s last-minute equalizer cancelling out Eder Militao’s earlier strike. The match saw both sides fighting hard, but neither could come out on top, as Atletico Madrid snatched a late point to extend their unbeaten run against their fierce rivals in La Liga.
The game started with a cautious tone, as both teams took time to feel each other out, probing for weaknesses. Atletico had the first real chance when Julian Alvarez managed to shrug off Antonio Rüdiger and test Real Madrid’s goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois, with a fierce strike from a tight angle. Real Madrid then started to exert their dominance, taking control of possession, with Federico Valverde firing a shot in the 17th minute, only for Jan Oblak to keep Atletico in the game with a great save.
Real Madrid’s period of sustained pressure grew, and Oblak had to be at his best again to deny Jude Bellingham, who was struggling to find the spark that has defined his season so far. However, Atletico Madrid’s resistance finally broke after the hour mark. A well-rehearsed set-piece routine led to the opening goal. Luka Modric delivered an inch-perfect cross, which found Vinicius Junior on the wing. Vinicius dribbled past his marker before sending a precise cross that landed at the feet of Militao, who made no mistake from close range, rifling the ball into the net to give Real Madrid a 1-0 lead in the 64th minute.
The goal triggered chaos among Atletico fans, with objects being thrown onto the field, leading to a brief stoppage in play. When the game resumed, Real Madrid continued to dominate and had several chances to put the game beyond reach, but their failure to convert those chances would come back to haunt them.
In the dying minutes of the match, Atletico Madrid, who had struggled to create meaningful opportunities, found a breakthrough. Angel Correa made a darting run behind the Real Madrid defense, latching onto Javi Galán’s through-ball. With Courtois rushing out to meet him, Correa showed composure and skill, rounding the goalkeeper and slotting the ball into an empty net in the 90th minute.
The 1-1 draw marked the third consecutive stalemate between the two Madrid giants. The result leaves Real Madrid frustrated, as they had several opportunities to put the game to bed but failed to capitalize. For Atletico Madrid, the late goal salvaged a valuable point and showed their resilience.
Both teams will reflect on the missed chances and look ahead to their next fixtures, knowing that points dropped in such high-profile encounters could prove costly in the race for the La Liga title.
Social Media Reactions:
- @CarlosGonzalez_7: “Correa saving Atletico at the last minute! What a fighter! #Atleti #MadridDerby”
- @Blanca_FCForever: “Real Madrid should have buried the game! Missed chances will haunt us. #HalaMadrid #MadridDerby”
- @FootyLover98: “Militao was a beast tonight, but what a way to throw away the win… Correa just stunned us all! #RealMadrid #Atletico”
- @SimeoneDiegoFan: “Simeone’s tactics might be defensive, but hey, they work when you have Correa pulling off stuff like that! #Atleti”
- @JudeBellingham10: “Bellingham looked off today. Hopefully, he’ll bounce back next game. #RealMadrid”
- @OblakTheWall: “Jan Oblak is underrated! So many clutch saves, kept Atletico in the game. #Oblak #MadridDerby”
- @SportsFeverFC: “Vinicius’ assist for Militao was brilliant, but why couldn’t Real finish the job? Frustrating! #ViniciusJunior #RealMadrid”
- @FootballCrazed92: “That derby had everything—drama, late goals, and missed chances. Classic Madrid derby! #MadridDerby #LaLiga”
- @LaLigaFanatic_01: “Another draw between these two. Third time in a row! Feels like neither wants to take full control. #Atleti #RealMadrid”
- @GalanJaviFan: “Javi Galan’s pass to Correa was pure magic. Underrated assist! #AtleticoMadrid #MadridDerby”
- @ThibautStopIt: “Courtois deserves better, made some key saves but the defense let him down. #RealMadrid #MadridDerby”
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