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Commentary
Minute
Description
90' +3
FULL-TIME: EIBAR 0-1 ATLETICO.
90' +2
HOW HAS THAT NOT GONE IN! Orellana with a glorious chance in the centre, but his effort deflects behind from point-blank range! There were appeals for handball there as well on Augusto, and Atletico sure did appear to escape with one there! Oliveira then rises to meet the ensuing corner, but Oblak saves his header on the line!
90'
INCHES WIDE! A splendid delivery from Diop comes through for Kike, who makes good contact with the header, but flashes his effort just wide of the far post! Was that the chance?!
There will be three minutes added on at the end of this match.
88'
Precious time can be run off the clock now as Torres hold the ball up excellently, winning a free-kick inside his own half. That will allow Atletico to push up from the back and force Eibar to retreat.
86'
OBLAK TO THE RESCUE! A terrific shot from Inui, who cut inside and bent a well-struck effort through a crowd of bodies, but Oblak is able to react, diving across to keep it out! The rebound is there for the taking for Ander Capa, but he's penalised for a foul as the pressure is relieved!
84'
All hands on deck for Atletico. This is what makes them such a hard team to beat. Everyone buys into their concept, picking up the slack for one another. Their attacking players track back with frequency to halt runs and provide support.
82'
STAT: Atletico have won four of their six visits to Ipurua in all competitions.
80'
Into the final 10 minutes, but this one is far from over. Diego Simeone would probably have liked to see his side kill this one off with more of an attacking impotence, but that couldn't be farther from the case in this second half. Eibar are up to 65 per cent possession now and are leading Atletico in nearly every attacking category, except for goals of course.
78'
OH ME OH MY! The best chance of the night for Eibar as Oliveira rises highest to meet a corner, but sends his header straight at Oblak with the goal at his mercy, and the keeper makes a save right on the line!
76'
Fernando Torres enters the game and replaces A. Griezmann.
A final Atletico change sees Fernando Torres replace Griezmann.
Minute
Description
75'
Griezmann has a chance to kill the game as he finds an opening in attack, but Dimitrovic makes a fine save with his trailing leg to keep the game in the balance! That was huge for Eibar, and that might be the last we see of Griezmann tonight.
73'
P. Diop enters the game and replaces Joan Jordán.
D. Godín gets yellow.
Godin picks up a yellow card for a cynical tug on the shirt of Kike. That means he will be suspended for their next match against Girona next weekend.
Papa Diop is brought on with Eibar's third and final change, replacing Jordan.
71'
STAT: Atletico have only lost one of their 21 La Liga away games since the start of 2017 (W12 D8), although it came last time out on the road (1-0 vs Espanyol).
69'
A. Fernández enters the game and replaces K. Gameiro.
Augusto Fernandez replaces Gameiro for the final 20 minutes.
67'
Eibar building patiently, and their confidence is growing. This is shaping up to be a tense finish. Atletico need to find their attacking presence to alleviate some of this pressure.
65'
Eibar's second change sees Kike replaces Charles up top.
64'
Kike García enters the game and replaces Charles.
CLOSEST THEY'VE COME! Sergi Enrich meets Jordan's free-kick at the back post, and his header into the danger area takes a wicked touch towards goal off Hernandez, forcing Oblak to scramble over to make a crucial save at the near post!
62'
STAT: Eibar have lost all six of their La Liga games against Atletico, failing to score in three of the last four.
60'
An hour played now and momentum is on the side of Eibar. They need to start taking a few more risks going forward, though, because their current approach isn't proving enough to truly test the visitors in defence.
58'
Atletico are being hemmed back in their own end, having to do a lot of defending here, but are looking assured in doing so. They've not been lacking in support, with Partey and Saul providing excellent cover, while Carrasco and Koke are doing well to lend Vrsaljko and Hernandez a hand.
56'
The hosts are continuing in the ascendency here, looking threatening without actually posing a true threat - make sense? Well, that's oddly enough the case. They're getting into some dangerous areas, just without the end product.
54'
Y. Carrasco enters the game and replaces Á. Correa.
Atletico's first change sees Correa, who has covered a lot of ground, replaced by Carrasco.
52'
STAT: Only Barcelona (25) are currently enjoying a longer unbeaten run in La Liga than Eibar (seven, the same as Athletic).
50'
Much better from the hosts! They show some good width as Inui makes strides down the left and sends in an inviting delivery. Sergi Enrich causes some problems in the centre, drawing to defenders to him, leaving Orellana unmarked at the back post, but the substitute's control lets him down.
48'
Eibar continue to enjoy more possession, seeing plenty of the ball early in this second half, though they are doing little to threaten this Atletico backline. They've got little central presence to really trouble the visitors.
46'
Fabián Orellana enters the game and replaces Iván Alejo.
Back underway at the Ipurua!
Fabian Orellana replaces Ivi at the break, who was on a yellow.
45'
HALF-TIME: EIBAR 0-1 ATLETICO.
43'
Good defending! A bit of a risk from Jose Angel, as there always is when putting in a challenge in the area, but that was a good, strong intervention from the Eibar full-back who just managed to keep his position on Correa to deny the midfielder a way through on goal.
41'
STAT: Only against Barcelona (seven) have Eibar lost more top-flight games than against Atletico (six, level with Real Madrid).
39'
The bulk of this match is still being played in the midfield third, with attacking spells proving short-lived for both clubs. Neither side has been able to keep concentrated pressure on the opposing defence with tidy, patient passing in the final third.
37'
Atletico in control as we creep towards the interval. The hosts have seen their possession numbers rise a bit, albeit slightly, though they have still failed to work Oblak.
35'
That goal will mean the world to Gameiro, who has lost his place in the XI as a result of the return of Diego Costa. The Frenchman is awarded his place tonight with Costa unavailable due to suspension, and he's made the absolute most of it in this first half.
33'
Ramis gets yellow.
Yellow for Ramis, and he might be lucky that it wasn't worse. He made absolutely no attempt to win the ball, which had already been knocked forward, as he drags Gameiro down. He was the last line of defence, but being that it came near the halfway line, it might have saved him from a sending off.
31'
STAT: Jose Luis Mendilibar has lost all of his seven encounters with Diego Simeone in La Liga and his teams have only scored two goals (14 conceded).
29'
JUST OVER! Almost the perfect response from Eibar! Jordan does well to knock the ball into the penalty area and Sergi Enrich shows good strength to fend off Godin and nod the ball across for Charles, who just heads over!
27'
K. Gameiro has scored a goal for Atletico Madrid! Assist by A. Griezmann.
Griezmann provides the assist.
ATLETICO HAVE THE BREAKTHROUGH! Saul plays Griezmann through into acres of space, and he unselfishly squares for Gameiro in the penalty area, who sends a cool finish beyond Dimitrovic to open the score at the Ipurua!
25'
The bulk of Eibar's possession is coming in their own end, or near the halfway line. They're looking to play balls over the top for the likes of Ivi and Inui to chase, but Atletico have plenty of bodies back to snuff out the threat.
23'
Following such an entertaining start, it's turned into a cagey affair. It's become quite congested in midfield, with neither side managing to make strides into attack over the last five minutes. Atletico are still looking quite assured in possession, they're just in no rush to get the ball forward.
21'
Possession just about evenly split, with Eibar holding a narrow advantage in that category. Eibar have done well out wide, but they've lacked much of a presence in the centre, with Charles and Sergi Enrich not proving an adequate enough target.
19'
STAT: Vrsaljko has provided three assists in his last four La Liga appearances - he had failed to assist a single goal in each of his previous 17 games.
17'
Atletico are growing in the ascendency, looking a real threat in possession. They're having a lot of success down that right flank, with Correa and Vrsaljko combining excellently.
15'
The wide-open start has begun to slow as both teams settle in and get their shape. These are two very well-coached clubs, and this figures to be a tense tactical battle.
13'
Well it's certainly been an entertaining watch in the opening stages, with the wet surface proving more of an issue for defenders. Both sides have started brightly in attack, and the goals are sure to come should this continue.
11'
THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE OPENER! Terrific interplay once again from Atletico in the final third, as they carve Eibar apart once again. Vrsaljko is played through on the right, and he squares across the face of goal for Koke, but the midfielder's first-time effort narrowly misses at the near post!
10'
Iván Alejo gets yellow.
Ivi receives an early booking for Eibar.
9'
STAT: Eibar have scored more goals from crosses than any other team in La Liga this season (nine). On the other hand, Atletico have conceded five of their eight goals from crosses (62.5%).
7'
Corner count rising rapidly for Eibar as they continue to get the ball forward with frequency, asking questions of the Atletico full-backs on the flanks. They have not been able to make much of their opportunities from the set-pieces, however.
5'
SO CLOSE! Wonderfully worked from Atletico! Griezmann picks out a delightful ball to play through Correa on the right, who sends a delivery across the face of goal for Gameiro, who sprints and slides to meet it, but just can't get the decisive touch.
3'
Encouraging start from Eibar as they win a pair of corners inside three minutes. The rain is falling rather relentlessly at the Ipurua, this wonderfully quaint ground, but it's done nothing to put a damper on the atmosphere.
1'
AND THEY'RE OFF! Atletico in their yellow away strip as they get the match underway, attacking left to right, with Eibar in blue and red.
Hello and welcome to the Iprurua for live coverage from this LaLiga match as Eibar host Atletico Madrid!
A straightforward 7-0 aggregate victory over Lleida Esportiu saw Atletico into the Copa del Rey quarter-finals this week, but it’s about to get much trickier for them as tonight’s trip to Eibar will be followed up by a cup tie with Sevilla.
Diego Simeone’s side will be desperate to prevent leaders Barcelona from pulling further away, but claiming maximum points at the Ipurua will prove a daunting task, something just two clubs have managed this season – and none since September.
Eibar opened 2018 with a victory, 2-1 in Las Palmas, continuing their terrific form, winning six of their last eight in the league, unbeaten in the league since early-November.
Los Armeros have never finished higher than 10th in LaLiga, but are in pole position to set a club record this season, entering the weekend in seventh, just two points back of Sevilla in fifth – and they can make a statement today with a fifth successive LaLiga victory at the Ipurua.
EIBAR (4-4-2): Dimitrovic; Ander Capa, Oliveira, Ramis, Jose Angel; Ivi, Jordan, Dani Garcia, Inui; Charles, Sergi Enrich.
Jose Luis Mendilibar makes just one change from last weekend's victory in Las Palmas, as Ramis comes into the heart of defence to deputise for the suspended Arbilla.
Diego Simeone is without the suspended Stefan Savic, Gabi and Diego Costa this evening as he makes four changes from last weekend's victory over Getafe. Jose Gimenez, Thomas Partey and Kevin Gameiro come in to replace the suspended trio, while Saul is also brought into the side at the expense of Yannick Carrasco.
Kevin Gameiro has Atletico deservedly ahead at the interval, despite Diego Simeone's side enjoying less than 40 per cent possession. Eibar have yet to show enough in attack, failing to record a shot on target in that first half, but they will take solace in the fact that they are still well within reach should they make the necessary tweaks to their approach play.
That's all for our live coverage, thanks for following along. Goodbye!
A relentless second-half push from Eibar somehow falls short as they fail to beat Jan Oblak despite a plethora of chances, as Kevin Gameiro and Atletico hand them their first league defeat at the Ipurua since September!
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