Atletico de Madrid 2 : 0 Getafe - Atletico close in on leaders Barca

Posted Sunday, November 11, 2012 by PA

Atletico Madrid moved back to within three points of Barcelona at the top of the Primera Division table after easing to a 2-0 victory over Getafe.

Adrian Lopez opened the scoring with his first league goal of the season midway through the first half, with Atletico doubling their lead two minutes before half-time as Arda Turan was allowed to run through on goal and slot coolly past Miguel Angel Moya, despite having controlled the ball with his hand.

Getafe had their chances in the first half but offered little resistance after the break and their second defeat of the week leaves them still in the bottom half of the table.

Radamel Falcao saw his 11-game scoring streak interrupted in Atleti's first defeat of the season at Valencia last weekend but, far from being desperate to find the net again, he was in a generous mood as he crossed for Raul Garcia eight minutes in, but the former Osasuna man headed just the wrong side of a post.

Thibaut Courtois was then forced into his only real save of the first half by Pedro Leon's free-kick from deep, but Atleti were soon back on the attack and took the lead in the 24th minute.

Gabi's cross to the far post found Adrian all alone and, after Moya did well to repel his first effort, the Spain international calmly slotted away the rebound.

Alvaro Vasquez then had a glorious chance to equalise just after the half-hour mark, instead spooning his shot over after being found in acres of space by Juan Valera's low cross.

And Getafe were punished for their profligacy when Atleti doubled their lead in controversial circumstances just before the break.

Arda appeared to have handled as he controlled the ball outside the area but, with the Getafe defenders waiting for the whistle, the Turkish international continued and showed great poise to round Moya before tapping into an empty net.

Garcia and Falcao flashed efforts just off target as Atleti went in search of a third at the start of the second period, while at the other end Angel Lafita would have scored had he got any proper contact on Diego Castro's wicked cross from the right.

Falcao should then have scored his 50th goal for Atleti but he could not make the right connection to Arda's driven cross 15 minutes from time, but the hosts comfortably saw the game out to keep their 100 per cent record at the Calderon intact.