Griezmann grabs Atletico win, Rayo and Sevilla draw

Antoine Griezmann’s superb strike helped Atletico Madrid earn a 1-0 win over Athletic Bilbao on Sunto tighten their grip on fourth place in LaLiga.

The French forward exchanged passes with Memphis Depay before bursting into the area and finishing clinically.

Atletico’s victory helped them cut the gap on third place Real Sociedad to two points, after the Basque side drew on Saturday.

Athletic played in their classic red and white striped kit, and Atletico in away shirts, even though Diego Simeone’s side were at home at the Metropolitano stadium.

The hosts wanted to pay tribute to celebrate Athletic’s 125th anniversary – with Atletico having been formed as a branch of Athletic back in 1903.

Despite his winner against Celta Vigo last weekend, Depay started on the bench with Angel Correa and Griezmann up front for Atletico.

Simeone’s team started the stonger but Athletic looked dangerous on the counter through brothers Inaki and Nico Williams.

The dependable Reinildo Mandava defended well to help keep Athletic at bay, although they should have taken the lead through Dani Garcia but he fired over Jan Oblak’s goal.

At the other end Yannick Carrasco fired at Julen Agirrezabala when he might have sent Atletico ahead before the break.

The goalkeeper denied Carrasco brilliantly in the second half, while Oblak also kept out a Nico Williams effort, with the teams evenly matched.

Eventually Griezmann made the difference when he combined with Depay, netting his seventh league goal of the season and further confirming he is back at his very best.

Rayo Vallecano and visitors Sevilla shared a 1-1 draw, with the hosts, sixth, unable to exert maximum pressure on the sides above them in the quest to secure European football next season.

Sevilla have struggled on the road in recent weeks, while their home form has helped them move up to mid-table after a poor start to the season.

Rayo came out of the blocks quickly, putting a lot of pressure on Sevilla in the opening stages.

However Jorge Sampaoli’s side grew into the game and took the lead after 29 minutes, when Suso’s effort from distance deflected in off Oscar Valentin.

Sergio Camello, on loan at Rayo from Atletico Madrid, should have levelled for the hosts but blazed over from close range early in the second half.

The hosts did not have to wait long to find the net, with Florian Lejeune heading home unmarked from Izi Palazon’s corner.

There was drama late on when both Sevilla’s Youssef En-Nesyri and Rayo’s Raul de Tomas had goals ruled out for offside.

Sergi Darder’s late strike snatched Espanyol a 1-0 win at bottom-of-the-table Elche.