Atletico Madrid let a lead slip in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie with Manchester United on Wednesday evening, with the Premier League side ending the night fortunate to leave with a 1-1 draw at the Estadio Wanda Metropolitano.
2021/2022 UEFA Champions League
1-1
Match Report
Despite the disappointment to let their advantage get away from them, Atletico ended the night maintaining an impressive unbeaten run in Champions League knockout games at home in Madrid under Diego Simeone, winning nine and drawing five of the 14 they've played.
Los Colchoneros' disappointment will largely stem from the fact that they were excellent on the night, and they went close early on as they looked to press United back and forced corners in the opening minutes.
With just seven minutes on the clock, Atleti led through Joao Felix. Renan Lodi won the ball out wide and delivered a great ball. The Portuguese got in front of Harry Maguire to head in off the upright, sending the ball squeezing over the line.
They kept coming though and United were fortunate not to fall further behind as chances went begging. The biggest fell to Sime Vrsaljko, who headed off the crossbar right on the stroke of half time after another fine Lodi ball.
Anthony Elanga levelled from nowhere with what was one of his very first touches of the ball, slotting home confidently when put through by Bruno Fernandes with 10 minutes to play.
With the 90th minute approaching, Antoine Griezmann went within inches of a winner. His curling effort beat David De Gea but came bouncing back off the crossbar.
Atleti travel to Manchester for the second leg on March 15.
Match Events
1' The match is about to start!
5' GOAL! Atletico 1-0 Man Utd (Felix)
14' CLOSE! Bruno Fernandes’s shot wide out
32' Ronaldo's foul against Atleti
36' CLOSE! Ronaldo’s shot wide out
39' Llorente gets a huge tackle on Ronaldo
44' POST! Atletico almost score a second goal
49' Yellow Card! Shaw booked
59' Yellow Card! Lindelof booked
62' Yellow Card! Reinildo booked
64' Yellow Card! Rashford booked
73' Yellow Card! Fred booked
76' Yellow Card! Llorente booked
78' Ronaldo’s shot flies into the sky
79' GOAL! Atletico 1-1 Man Utd (Elanga)
86' POST! Griezmann almost score a goal
Line-ups
Atletico XI: Herrera, Vrsaljko, Oblak, Savic, Kondogbia, Gimenez, Correa, Reinildo, Llorente, Felix, Lodi
Subs: Suarez, Griezmann, B. Lecomte, Felipe, Lemar, De Paul, Hermoso, Christian, Javi Serrano
Man Utd XI: Ronaldo, De Gea, Lindelof, Varane, Pogba, Maguire, Fred, Shaw, Bruno Fernandes, Rashford, Sancho
Subs: Heaton, Mata, Matic, Jones, Alex Telles, Lingard, Bailly, Dean Henderson, Dalot, Wan-Bissaka, H. Mejbri, A. Elanga