Sporting: Cuéllar; Lora, Luis Hernández, Jorge Meré, Isma López; Sergio Alvarez, Omar Macarell (Carlos Castro 55‘), Nacho Cases; Pablo Pérez (Carmona 68‘), Sanabria (Rachid 92‘), Jony. 4-3-3.
Atlético: Oblak; Jesús Gámez, Giménez, Lucas Hernández, Filipe Luis; Saúl Ñíguez, Kranevitter, Koke; Correa (Gabi 57‘), Vietto (Juanfran 75‘), Griezmann (Fernando Torres 62‘). 4-3-3.
Goals:
0-1. 29. Griezmann. Curled free kick over wall and in to near top corner of net.
1-1. 79. Sanabria. Low free kick which deflected off Kranevitter past Oblak.
2-1. 89. Carlos Castro. Turned shot in on far post after Jony laid ball across.
Yellow cards: Sanabria 36’, Jesús Gámez 52’, Sergio Alvarez 57’, Jorge Meré 65’, Pablo Pérez 67’, Juanfran 77’, Nacho Cases 85’.
A big surprise on Saturday afternoon, second placed Atlético Madrid losing 2-1 at Sporting Gijón. Simeone made several changes to his line-up following the grueling midweek Champions League game, but even so they went ahead with a well struck Griezmann free kick on the half hour mark. As they had done so many times this season, Atleti sat back to defend their lead, Gabi and Juanfran coming on to replace more attacking players. However with a quarter of an hour to go Sanabria hit the post following a short free kick, and just a minute or so later he levelled the scores from another free kick, his fierce shot taking a deflection off Kranevitter to put off Oblak. A few minutes later the visitors were left with ten men when Giménez hobbled off with an injury, and substitute Carlos Castro hit the bar before getting on the end of Jony’s pass to score a last minute winner. It was only the third time this season that Oblak had let in more than a goal in the league (the other two times were against Barcelona), and the result took the Asturians out of the bottom three for a couple of hours or so at least.