LaLiga
Result: Atletico Madrid 3-0 Deportivo Alaves
Date: 08 December 2018
Venue: Wanda Metropolitano
Atletico Madrid trounced Deportivo Alaves 3-0 in the weekend's early LaLiga encounter at the Wanda Metropolitano. Following a tentative start from both the sides, Atleti made the first in road through an effort from Antoine Griezmann. Soon after, the bell rung in their favour after Nikolai Kalinic made connection with a delivery from Santiago Arias for a resounding finish on 25 minutes. Alaves equalised almost instantly, with Ibai Gomes who was played in by Jony Castro to drive a wicked shot at goal which forced Oblak to go low and make the catch. Atletico's plans were taken aback with an early change through injury after Jose Gimenez pulled off with a horrific injury to be replaced by Lucas Hernandez a few minutes to halftime. Alaves ended the half strong though, with Victor Laguardia's header from a free-kick by Ibai but the effort was too high to trouble Jan Oblak. Coming into the contest on a 19-game unbeaten run at home, Atleti bossed the earlier exchanges of the second half in pursuit to maintain their lead. Substitute Arias found the side-netting from an acute angle in the early stages following good build-up play. Alaves threatened an equaliser again when Baston makes space for himself to get his head to a good cross by Jony, but he is unable to direct the header and it goes well wide of Oblak's goal. Atleti doubled late on when Griezmann made the most of a delightful through pass before needing two attempts to finish into an empty net. In added time, the third goal arrived when Rodrigo Hernandez was found unmarked from a counter attack to finish into a gaping net for the three points.
