Atletico maintain hot streak with Getafe win

MADRID: Alexander Sorloth earned Atletico Madrid an 11th straight victory with his goal sealing a 1-0 win over Getafe on Sunday in La Liga.

Diego Simeone´s side have been in fine form and continued their winning run across all competitions with a deserved home triumph, pulling provisionally level with league leaders Barcelona.

Norwegian target man Sorloth came off the bench to head home the winner in the second half for his seventh league goal this season. Atletico, second, lead rivals Real Madrid by a point after Los Blancos drew at Rayo Vallecano on Saturday, while Barcelona host Leganes later Sunday.

“I´ll repeat it, I´m boring, I won´t change -- until the last day, we´ll go game by game,” Simeone told reporters when asked if his team could challenge for the title. “I always say the best result is 1-0 because you work hard in defence and you´re effective in attack, if you win 4-3 there are things you have to improve.”

Atletico Madrid controlled the first half but could not put away the chances they created. Two of the most inviting fell to winger Samuel Lino, but he failed to convert on both occasions. Giuliano Simeone crossed for the Brazilian and he poked the ball wide, before firing off-target again after Rodrigo De Paul played him in with a clever lob.

Argentine midfielder De Paul, on a strong run of form, swept a shot wide as the hosts continued to dominate at the Metropolitano stadium. David Soria saved from Julian Alvarez shortly before the teams went in goalless at the break. Pablo Barrios fired narrowly off-target before Atletico took the lead in the 69th minute.

Substitute Sorloth peeled off his marker at the far post and placed a header back across goal and into the net from Nahuel Molina´s cross. Molina was another reinforcement brought on by Simeone, with Atletico´s impressive squad depth telling. “Before the game I spoke with the players about thanking and recognising those who weren´t going to start the game,” said Simeone.

“There are very important players who are competing in an extraordinary way, and you can tell that when they come into the team. “That is our strength, to compete in the way we want, we need everyone to be as involved as they (currently) are, it´s our biggest strength.”