Atletico Madrid had been beaten by an early three-goal blitz at Valencia last time out and they set out to make amends early on against Espanyol on Sunday.
Atletico Madrid's
Portuguese midfielder Tiago (R) celebrates with Atletico Madrid's
Turkish midfielder Arda Turan (C) after scoring during the Spanish
league football match Club Atletico de Madrid vs RCD Espanyol at the
Vicente Calderon stadium in Madrid on October 19, 2014.
© AFP
Madrid: Atletico Madrid moved back to
within five points of La Liga leaders Barcelona with a 2-0 win over
Espanyol on Sunday thanks to goals from Tiago and Mario Suarez.
Tiago
opened the scoring with a wonderful looping header into the far corner
from Gabi's cross two minutes before half-time to settle the hosts'
nerves.
The Portuguese midfielder then limped off early in the
second half, making him a doubt for Atletico's Champions League game
against Malmo in midweek.
However, his replacement Suarez had the easy task of tapping home the second from Jose Gimenez's header 20 minutes from time.
"The team played the way they had to," said Atletico boss Diego Simeone.
"We played with a good tempo and with patience until the first goal arrived. Then, in the second half, we controlled the game."
Simeone's
men had been beaten by an early three-goal blitz at Valencia last time
out and they set out to make amends early on as Kiko Casilla denied Arda
Turan from point-blank range before the Turkish midfielder had a goal
ruled out for offside.
Casilla also turned behind a fierce drive
from Koke, but Atletico were thankful to their own 'keeper Miguel Angel
Moya moments later as he smothered Lucas Vazquez's effort at the back
post.
The home side continued to enjoy the majority of the play,
though, and made the breakthrough just before half-time when Gabi's
cross to the far post was looped back across goal and over the helpless
Casilla from Tiago.
Sergio Garcia could have punished some slack
defending by Atletico with the last kick of the half as he blasted over
from a narrow angle.
And the champions were dealt a blow at the start of the second period as Tiago hobbled off to be replaced by Suarez.
Espanyol
had claims for a penalty waved away 25 minutes from time when Christian
Stuani tumbled under pressure from Gimenez in the box, but within 60
seconds it was Casilla who was forced into action once more as he
repelled Mario Mandzukic's low drive.
Atletico made the game safe
on 70 minutes as Espanyol struggled to defend a corner and Gimenez's
header across goal was tapped home by Suarez for his first goal in two
years.
