Sustained pressure paid off for Atlético Madrid as manager Diego Simeone’s son Giuliano netted his first LaLiga goal and Alexander Sørloth also scored to secure a 2-0 win over Las Palmas in LaLiga on Sunday.
Atlético, third in the table with 23 points from 12 matches, have played one match less than second-placed Real Madrid, whose match at Valencia this weekend was postponed after deadly flooding in the eastern region.
“I’m very happy for my first official goal for Atlético Madrid but I also want to mention everything that’s going on in Valencia. For the victims, I send all my strength and support,” Giuliano Simeone said.
Nahuel Molina‘s 37th-minute long ball up the right flank helped Simeone beat the visitors’ high defensive line and the 21-year-old sprinted towards the six-yard box and finished with his right foot past keeper Jasper Cillessen‘s outstretched leg.
Antoine Griezmann almost doubled Atlético’s lead seconds before the break, but his left-footed effort from a Pablo Barrios cross came off the crossbar.
Things got worse for Las Palmas early in the second-half as Cillessen had to leave the field after getting injured while diving to block Molina’s shot.
The hosts, who had 15 shots in the match while 18th-placed Las Palmas had one, doubled their lead in the 83rd minute from Sorloth’s calm left-footed finish following Rodrigo De Paul‘s defence-splitting through ball.
Atlético continue their league campaign at Mallorca next Sunday, after Wednesday’s Champions League clash at Paris Saint-Germain.
