"Lee Kang-in also had a scoring chance": Simeone acknowledges opponent's rock-solid defense... Add goalkeeper saves and bad luck with the goalposts, yet Atletico pulls it off again

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There was also a scoring opportunity for Lee Kang-in (25, Atletico Madrid), the 'ace' of the South Korean national football team. However, the opponent's tenacious defense, combined with goalkeeper saves and bad luck with the goalposts, stood in his way. Still, Atletico ultimately delivered, scoring a dramatic winning goal just one minute before the end of regular time.

Atletico secured a 1-0 away victory against aespa뇰 in their match on the 18th (Korean time) at the RCDE Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, which was part of Round 9 of the 2026-2027 Spanish La Liga season.

The outcome was decided only in the closing stages of the game. In the 44th minute of the second half, breaking a 0-0 deadlock, Alex Baena scored a dramatic winning goal off a pass from Julian Alvarez.

It was not an easy match. Atletico continuously pressed aespa뇰's goal, but struggled to break through the opponent's strong defensive organization.

Atletico manager Diego Simeone acknowledged aespa뇰's defensive prowess after the match.

According to Spanish media outlet Notimerica, Manager Simeone reflected, "We faced an organized, strong, and dedicated team. The opponents defended as if every play were the final scene."

He then described the scoring chances Atletico created in the first half, directly mentioning Lee Kang-in's name.

Manager Simeone explained, "Nevertheless, there were situations where we could have scored in the first half. There was a chance for Lee Kang-in, as well as chances for Julianno, Jonathan David, and Dani Martinez."

On this day, Lee Kang-in started as an attacking midfielder in a 4-3-1-2 formation and played for 62 minutes.

Although he did not record any direct offensive points, he contributed to the attack with active movement. Of his two shots, one was on target, and he completed 41 out of 44 passes, achieving a high success rate of 93%. He also created three chances, tying for the most in the match.

In the 16th minute of the second half, Lee Kang-in's clever heel pass led to a decisive moment. Marcos Llorente, who received the pass from Lee Kang-in, fired a powerful long-range shot, but the ball, which grazed the fingertips of the opposing goalkeeper, struck the crossbar.

For Atletico, it was a frustrating moment where even the goalposts turned against them.

Manager Simeone expressed regret, stating, "We kept pushing in the second half as well. The goalkeeper made an incredible save on Alvarez's chance. Llorente's shot was also blocked by the goalkeeper before hitting the crossbar. There were also important chances from another Alvarez shot and for David."

The explanation was that Atletico struggled to score due to aespa뇰's tenacious defense, compounded by goalkeeper saves and bad luck with the goalposts.

However, in the final moments, Atletico's perseverance bore fruit. In the 44th minute of the second half, Baena opened aespa뇰's tightly shut goal with a fantastic shot.

Manager Simeone explained, "The goal actually came from the least expected situation. The opponents were pressing high up in our territory. We took risks and started bringing the ball out from the back, continuing the play."

He also spared no praise for Baena, the scorer of the winning goal. Manager Simeone said, "You can see it by looking at Baena now. Personally, he is in very good shape. Last year, he started the season very well but could not show his best form due to injury afterward. Towards the end of the season, he certainly would have expected more from himself."

He continued, "The North and Central American World Cup took him to another level. Now, his self-confidence is much stronger. He has fantastic abilities and sees football differently from other players. He has become more decisive, stronger, and more confident. He is exactly the player we wanted to sign."

He emphasized, "I hope he continues to show this form going forward. I want us to manage his playing time well so that Baena can maintain his strength and continue to display his unique abilities."

Recently, Atletico has consistently accumulated valuable points by leveraging their focus in the closing stages of matches. In their match against Alaves on the 10th, Atletico also staged a dramatic comeback. In the 42nd minute of the second half, breaking a 1-1 tie, Christian Romero scored the winning goal to secure a 2-1 victory.

In their match against Villarreal in August, they came back from the brink of defeat. Trailing 1-2, Atletico equalized in the 40th minute of the second half with a goal by Julianno Simeone, resulting in a 2-2 draw. They secured a valuable one point from a situation where they were on the verge of returning empty-handed. This time, against aespa뇰, they produced a winning goal in the 44th minute of the second half.

Thanks to this victory over aespa뇰, Atletico recorded 7 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss (22 points), maintaining their second place in the league. The gap with leader Barcelona (9 wins, 27 points) is five points. Even as Barcelona pulls ahead rapidly, Atletico has not fallen far behind, continuing a fierce title race.

Manager Simeone emphasized the significance of this late-stage victory. He rejoiced, saying, "This goal gives us the strength to keep pushing forward with what we are doing in this team right now."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original