Atletico Madrid Open La Liga Campaign with Hard-Fought Win Over Malaga
Atletico Madrid began their season in the Spanish La Liga with a hard-fought victory over newly-promoted visitors Malaga, winning 2-0 on Wednesday evening at the Metropolitano Stadium, in a match that exposed clear attacking struggles for the home side before they finally settled the result in its closing stages.
A Slow Start Before a Second-Half Breakthrough
"Los Rojiblancos" did not find their way to their opponents' goal easily, as Malaga held firm defensively for more than an hour, before South Korean forward Lee Kang-in broke the deadlock in the 70th minute, giving his side the advantage after a period of repeated, fruitless attempts spanning a full half and more.
The goal marked Lee Kang-in's first scoring contribution for Atletico Madrid since joining the club during the current summer transfer window, arriving from French side Paris Saint-Germain, winners of the UEFA Champions League title in the past two seasons a signing that reflects the Madrid club's ambition to strengthen its attacking line this season.
Fifteen minutes after the opening goal, Alex Baena left his own mark on the match, scoring the second goal in the 85th minute with a powerful direct free-kick that struck the crossbar before settling into the net, sealing Atletico Madrid's 2-0 victory.
Notable Absences for "Los Rojiblancos"
Atletico Madrid played the match without Argentine forward Julian Alvarez, who was left out due to not being fully match-fit, amid growing speculation over his future after he announced his desire to leave the club, with reports linking him to a move to Barcelona, winners of the Spanish league title in the past two seasons.
The coach also went without the services of Argentine defender Cristian Romero, a recent signing from England's Tottenham Hotspur, as well as Norwegian striker Alexander Sorloth, both sidelined through injury.
Key Fixtures Ahead
Atletico Madrid are preparing for a tough test in matchday two of the league when they host Villarreal at home on Sunday, before travelling for an away fixture in matchday three against Sevilla six days later.
Malaga, for their part, returned to the Spanish top flight after an eight-year absence, and face an early home test when they host Deportivo La Coruna in matchday two, before travelling to face Real Madrid in matchday three a fixture that will serve as a genuine measure of the newly-promoted side's ambitions this season.
