Baena Strikes Late To Give Atletico Madrid Win Over Espanyol

Atletico Madrid secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Espanyol in La Liga on Saturday, with Alex Baena scoring a late winner to settle a closely contested encounter.

The match appeared destined for a goalless draw until the 89th minute, when Baena found the net from a pass by Julian Alvarez to earn Atletico all three points.

Both sides struggled to break the deadlock in the first half, with neither able to convert their opportunities as they went into the break at 0-0.

The contest remained tight after the restart, with Atletico pushing for a breakthrough while Espanyol sought to protect their goal.

The decisive moment came in the closing stages when Alvarez set up Baena, who finished to give the visitors the lead with just a minute remaining in normal time.

Espanyol were unable to respond before the final whistle as Atletico held on to claim the victory.

The result gives Atletico Madrid a valuable three points in their bid to climb the La Liga table, while Espanyol will be disappointed to have conceded so late after holding their opponents at bay for most of the match.