Atletico Madrid 1-0 Leicester: Antoine Griezmann gives hosts slender lead By Jordan Halford at the Vicente Calderon
Last Updated: 12/04/17 9:47pm
Leicester's hopes of reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League were kept alive after a narrow 1-0 defeat by Atletico Madrid at the Vicente Calderon on Wednesday evening. Antoine Griezmann scored the winner from the penalty spot just shy of the half-hour mark after he had clumsily been brought down by Marc Albrighton, although replays showed the contact had initially been made outside the box. Chances remained at a premium thereafter, with the home side failing to capitalise on their possession and find a killer goal ahead of the second leg in the East Midlands next Tuesday, which leaves the Premier League champions with a chance of progression to the last four. Craig Shakespeare made five changes to the side that suffered a 4-2 defeat to Everton on Super Sunday, with both Danny Simpson and Christian Fuchs returning to the back four while Wilfred Ndidi and Albrighton were restored to the midfield.
Atletico had lost just one of 21 Champions League home matches under Diego Simeone and the game predictably started off in frenetic fashion in front of a vociferous home support, as Fernando Torres' low effort was comfortably saved by Kasper Schmeichel in the fourth minute.
The visitors had the woodwork to thank just moments after, when Koke found space 25 yards out and unleashed a thunderous drive, which came crashing back off the post with the Danish stopper beaten all ends up.
The visitors survived another scare after just eight minutes, when Yannick Carrasco volleyed wide after Robert Huth failed to clear a routine ball into the City box, before Griezmann flashed another effort over from range.
Vardy's cross-shot was the only brief respite from the Foxes in the opening 15 minutes - and Saul Niguez was the next to try his luck from distance but yet again his shot sailed harmlessly over the crossbar.
But midway through the first-half, the visitors began to get a foothold in the game and were unfortunate not to open the scoring after some superb work on the near side from Albrighton saw Japanese forward Okazaki unable to turn home his cross.
However, just as the English champions began enjoying their best spell of the game, they were hit with a trademark counter attack from Simeone's side as Griezmann tore down the left flank and was clumsily upended by Albrighton for a penalty.
Replays showed the contact was made outside the box, but the referee Jonas Eriksson didn't hesitate to point to the spot as Griezmann dusted himself down to convert comfortably past Schmeichel.
The visitors still remained a threat on the break, however, with Fuchs' long throw causing problems, but Mahrez couldn't divert his effort on target after Huth's shot cannoned back to the Algerian winger on the edge of the penalty box.
The German centre-half brought down Griezmann shortly after in the 58th minute, earning him a booking which will see him miss the second leg at the King Power Stadium next Tuesday, before the referee had another controversial penalty decision to make when Mahrez took a tumble in the box after bamboozling Gabi.
Torres had the chance to put the game to bed just minutes later when he burst clean through, but he slipped at the pivotal moment as the ball squirmed harmlessly out of play when he looked destined to score.
Simeone sent on Angel Correa after the hour mark and the Argentinian was perilously close to doubling the hosts' advantage when Torres teed up Griezmann, but the latter's centre just evaded the substitute in the six-yard box.
Yohan Benalouane had to be alert with Griezmann lurking from Juanfran's ball in, before Correa flashed one across the face of goal in the dying minutes but there was no red and white shirt to turn it home as Leicester head back to the King Power Stadium with a one-goal deficit to overturn in the second leg.
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