Soccer Football – LaLiga – Atletico Madrid v RCD Mallorca – Wanda Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain – December 4, 2021 RCD Mallorca’s Takefusa Kubo celebrates scoring their second goal with Franco Russo REUTERS/Sergio Perez
December 4, 2021
MADRID (Reuters) -Atletico Madrid conceded a goal by Mallorca’s Takefusa Kubo in added time in a shock 2-1 LaLiga home defeat on Saturday that will be remembered on the Mediterranean island for years.
The loss leaves Atletico in fourth place on 29 points, seven adrift of leaders Real Madrid who have also played 15 games and visit fifth-placed Real Sociedad in the late match.
In an electrifying match in the Spanish capital, Atletico went in front through a Matheus Cunha strike in the 68th minute.
However, with 10 minutes left and Atletico looking in control of the match, Mallorca equalised with a header from Argentine defender Franco Russo, who outjumped Mario Hermoso from a free-kick and finished with precision past Jan Oblak.
Eight of the 15 goals conceded by Atletico this season have come when they have been defending set-pieces.
As the clock ticked down in stoppage time substitute Kubo, on loan at Mallorca from Real Madrid, received a perfect through pass from Angel Rodriguez behind the defensive line and the 20-year-old Japan striker calmly slotted the ball under Oblak.
“My mind is 100% at Mallorca now. But if I can also help out Real Madrid with a goal against one of their contenders, even better,” Kubo told reporters.
“We were plugged in from the beginning. We knew it was going to be difficult but if we kept our heads we’d have a chance.”
With Atleti’s decisive Champions League match at Porto coming up on Tuesday, coach Diego Simeone rested Luis Suarez and Thomas Lemar and left Joao Felix on the bench.
His team started strongly and created a few chances but Mallorca were not scared and put Oblak to work as he pulled off a great save to keep out a powerful shot from Lee Kang-in.
Atletico were more aggressive after the break and took the lead thanks to some fine individual play from Angel Correa who crossed for Cunha to finish inside the six-yard box.
Russo then levelled the scores before Kubo came on to hand Mallorca their first win at Atletico since 2006.
(Reporting by Fernando Kallas; Editing by Ken Ferris)
Source: One America News Network
