Oblak saves a suffered point from La Cerámica

The Slovenian came to save up to three heads-up to keep Atleti and not fall to a Villarreal who had the best chances
A few tables that do not serve any in a meeting in which Filipe Luis ahead of his and Mario Gaspar put the equalizer
Atlético Madrid missed a great opportunity to assault the leadership of LaLiga and suffered to draw the draw of El Madrigal against Villarreal. Although the rojiblancos started with a header from Filipe Luis, the ‘yellow submarine’ was better in many sections of the match. With the tie of Mario Gaspar, only Oblak could prevent the locals from taking all three points.
Those of Calleja already warned in the first part, but in the second deployed a repertoire of offensive resources that took the colors behind the mattress. All this based on rhythm, verticality and dominance of possession in a match in which Villarreal offered, before his fans, his best version of the season.

The first half was a tug-of-war of both sets. At the beginning, what we could call those «minutes of scoring» prevailed, where none managed to dominate possession or impose their game. It was in the 13th minute when Villarreal fired first and the crossfire opened.

On the occasion of the yellow submarine, which Gerard Moreno failed to push in goal, the most controversial move of this part arrived. A dead ball in the area of ​​Villarreal that Griezmann wanted to finish, but that gives in the arm to Alvaro. After a few moments of doubts with Estrada Fernández holding his hand to his ear to see what they told him from the VAR, the penalty was not whistled and the play was nothing.

From minute 20, the game went into a few minutes of phases. Atlético Madrid improved the image of the beginning and succeeded until two clear occasions for the rojiblancos. First with Kalinic demonstrating the essence of center forward that is, controlling and finishing in the area, and in the next play a shot by Griezmann who did not find a goal, but he carried all the bad intentions of the world. At this time even the Cholo wanted to surprise with his tactics and the team put a high pressure, complicating the departure of the ball of Calleja and recovering in the opposite field.

Filipe Luis celebrates the first goal of the match at La Cerámica with Correa / Miguel Ángel Polo (EFE)

Villarreal shake this domain, gave a blow on the table and based on rhythm, and occasions, managed to subjugate the mattress. The couple in the center of the field with Rodri and Thomas did not work and the yellows came up five times. The clearest occasion was Jauma Costa, who received a pass through the area and his shot, bounced in Giménez, was poisoned and Oblak had to appear for the first time in El Madrigal with a paradon.

The second part started with what was missing in the first, with the football sauce, goals. There were probably less of the chances that were seen on the pitch, but they brought the excitement to La Ceramica.

Five minutes after leaving the dressing room, Griezmann served a tepid foul from the right profile that Funes Mori plays with the head, making the ball go to its own frame, and after hitting the crossbar and with Asenjo defeated and unable to get up because Álvaro had fallen on him, Filipe Luis scored at 0-1.

The Slovenian goalkeeper of Atletico Madrid, Jan Oblak, after conceding the goal that has meant the tie of Villarreal, during the match corresponding to the ninth day of first division that have played in the stadium of La Cerámica, in the town of Castellón. / Domenech Castelló (EFE)

Atlético did not want to retreat after the goal, but Villarreal still had the best to offer. In the 65th minute, in a play with a certain dose of luck, a ball that nobody gets to take him and several rejects within the area rojiblanca, make Mario Gaspar, practically alone, finish with the outside at will beating Oblak.

With the draw came the overwhelming version of the ‘submarine’ with an Oblak saving mode in capitals. Two consecutive hands of the Slovenian, first to Gerard Moreno and two minutes later to Bacca, kept Atleti afloat, who already saw not only how the victory escaped, but even the tie.

The match ended well, before the lament of Villarreal for not finishing a great game and before the relief of Atleti, which ended up conforming with the point, leaving him third with 16 points, waiting for what Barça does and the yellows with good sensations, but sunk in the 14th position with nine points.