Sporting de Gijon 1 : 1 Atletico de Madrid - There's only Juan Pablo

Posted Sunday, February 19, 2012 by PA

Goalkeeper Juan Pablo was the hero as Sporting Gijon held on to claim a 1-1 draw against Atletico Madrid in Javier Clemente's first game in charge.

Atleti went ahead early on when Adrian Lopez outstretched the Sporting defence and his shot was turned into his own net by Roberto Canella.

However the hosts responded well and Sebastian Eguren equalised 17 minutes later.

Pablo denied the visitors on numerous occasions after the break, most notably from Radamel Falcao's close range effort after 82 minutes, but Sporting could even have won it had it not been for Thiabaut Courtois' brilliant one-on-one save from Adrian Colunga six minutes from time.

Atleti are still to taste defeat in eight games under Diego Simeone and they should have been two goals up inside six minutes. Firstly, Falcao was played in by Koke but his effort was turned away by Pablo before Diego Godin headed over when it seemed easier to score from the resulting corner.

The visitors did eventually take the lead after 20 minutes when Adrian accelerated away from Gregory but his shot may have been going just wide before Canella's desperate slide took the ball into his own net.

Simeone's men had not even conceded in their previous six league games since the Argentine took charge but that proud record was broken when Alberto Botia's knockdown found its way to Eguren and he prodded the ball past Courtois from eight yards.

Diego nearly restored Atleti's lead just before half-time but Pablo made a brilliant block from point blank range and the keeper continued to frustrate the visitors after the break.

Falcao was first to have a go as his fierce drive was turned away on 58 minutes before Salvio's effort from long range was pushed over for a corner 10 minutes later.

The chances continued to come for the usually deadly Falcao, but he uncharacteristically failed to make a good contact with his head from Salvio's cross 13 minutes from time before Pablo again came to Sporting's rescue five minutes later as he parried the Colombian's shot on the turn.

And yet the best opportunity of the second period fell to Colunga but with only Courtois to beat he fired into the keeper's legs.

The point does little for either side as Sporting remain second bottom, six points from safety, whilst Atletico stay in sixth.