Zaragoza 0 - 1 Atletico Madrid - Aguero gets Atletico back on track

Posted Saturday, February 19, 2011 by PA

Sergio Aguero's second-half strike earned Atletico Madrid a vital 1-0 victory over Real Zaragoza at La Romareda, ending Los Rojiblancos' four-match losing run in the Primera Division.

The Argentina forward netted the game's only goal following a swift counter-attack to ease the pressure on Atletico coach Quique Sanchez Flores.

Zaragoza threw everything at their visitors in the closing stages and struck the bar twice in the final two minutes through substitutes Ikechukwu Uche and Nicolas Bertolo, but there was no way through.

The result moved the visitors up four places to seventh in La Liga, while Zaragoza - who had picked up 10 points from the previous 12 on offer at home - stayed 17th.

Atletico started brightly, with Zaragoza goalkeeper Leo Franco coming out to snuff out danger at the feet of the lively Sergio Aguero in the third minute.

Aguero caused trouble for the hosts again 10 minutes later, bursting forward and unleashing a low shot which countryman Franco did well to save down to his right.

The visitors appealed for a penalty in the 21st minute when Jose Reyes went down under the challenge of Matteo Contini, but referee Carlos Delgado Ferreiro was not convinced.

Atletico midfielder Tiago then saw his downward header from a corner cleared off the line by Gabi.

Gabi pulled a shot wide at the other end when Zaragoza enjoyed a rare foray forward eight minutes before the break.

Aguero found himself facing Franco again a minute later after a neat one-two with Reyes, but could not get his shot away.

From the resulting corner, the ball bobbled around the area invitingly but no Atletico attacker was able to capitalise.

Zaragoza were unfortunate not to have gone a goal up in the 65th minute after a frantic scramble in the Atletico six-yard box, but the visitors not only cleared their lines but went up the other end and nicked the winner.

With the home defence stretched, Diego Forlan switched play to Aguero on the right and the Argentinian worked space for himself well before lashing a fierce shot past Franco from a tight angle.

Zaragoza went within a whisker twice in quick succession in the closing moments - Uche checking inside and blasting against the woodwork with David de Gea beaten and then Bertolo's left-footed effort also crashing against the bar on its way over - but Atletico held on.