Atlético Madrid 2 - Racing Santander 2

Atlético: Juanma; Gaspar, Santi, Lequi, Sergi; De los Santos; Novo, Paunovic, Ibagaza, Nano (Musampa 60'); Fernando Torres (Rodrigo 22'). 4-1-4-1.
Racing: Ricardo; Afek, Pablo Casar, Juanma, Ayoze; Diego Mateo (Matabuena 49'), Nafti (Jonathan 76'); Morán, Benayoun, Regueiro (Javi Guerrero 76'); Bodipo. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Atlético: Juanma, Santi, Paunovic, Nano for Burgos, Simeone, Jorge, Rodrigo / Racing: Juanma, Nafti, Regueiro for Neru, Anderson Silva, Javi Guerrero.

Goals:
0-1. 52. Matabuena. From close up after six previous efforts blocked by defence..
1-1. 62. Paunovic. Following up after defender cleared Ibagaza shot off line.
2-1. 69. Musampa. Shot in off bar after Ricardo pushed out shot from Paunovic.
2-2. 80. Jonathan (penalty). After Gaspar fouled Morán in the area.

Racing Santander shrugged off their failure from the penalty shoot-out in their midweek cup match at Eibar to save a point at Atlético Madrid with a late spot kick. The Cantabrians had not had any luck at all from the penalty spot this season, and when Gaspar fouled Morán in the area ten minutes from the end, it was only young substitute Jonathan who had the nerve to step up and take it. He kept his cool though, and placed his shot low past Juanma for the final 2-2 result.

The game had got off to a lively start, and Fernando Torres showed his class early on with a couple of devastating runs. However he received a boot in the backside from Juanma for his pains, and had to leave the field midway through the first half. De los Santos headed over twice from precision crosses by Ibagaza, and at the other end Bodipo produced the miss of the season after a shaky Juanma (replacing the injured Mono Burgos again) failed to cut out Regueiro's cross.

Racing took the lead seven minutes in to the second half, substitute Matabuena finally driving the ball into the net in a frenzied attack after six previous efforts had been blocked on the line by Sergi, Lequi and company. A minute later though Atlético should have equalised when they were awarded a penalty for a foul by Pablo Casar on Nano, but in the absence of first choice penalty taker Torres, Ibagaza blasted the ball over the bar.

It didn't take them long though to make amends, Paunovic levelling the scores after a defender cleared Ibagaza's shot off the line, and then creating a second goal when his effort was only pushed out by Ricardo into the path of Musampa. There were heated protests though from the visitors as they had been appealing for the ball to be put out of play with Juanma lying injured, and referee González Vázquez booked manager Lucas Alcaraz and Diego Mateo, a second yellow for the midfielder who was sitting on the bench at the time having already been substituted.

Justice was done in the end though with Jonathan's penalty equaliser, although things didn't stop there, Novo hitting the bar for the locals late on and the referee calling a halt to proceedings with Benayoun bearing down on goal. The result brings to an end to Atlético's run of five home wins in a row, and confirms Racing as one of the best away sides in the league. If it wasn't for their home record they would be up near the top by now.