Luis Suarez strikes late to help Barcelona to draw with Atleti

Published on: 14 October 2017

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Luis Suarez struck late to help Barcelona to a 1-1 draw against Atletico Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium on Saturday night.

The draw spoiled Barca's perfect start to the season, having won all of their previous matches, and allowed Real Madrid to pick up points on both of their main La Liga rivals.

Antoine Griezmann was twice denied by Marc-Andre ter Stegen before Saul opened the scoring with a spectacular strike from 20 yards that left the Barca keeper no chance.

Barca's chance to equalize before the half-hour mark was wasted as neither Gerard Pique nor Suarez could reach Andres Iniesta's rolling ball across Atleti's six-yard box.

Iniesta set Suarez up 10 minutes later with an incisive pass, but Stefan Savic denied the Uruguayan on the doorstep to keep the hosts' lead intact.

Ivan Rakitic saw yellow just before the break for clipping Griezmann with a sliding challenge with no chance of reaching the ball.

Ten minutes into the second half Barcelona should have been level, but Jan Oblak denied Suarez from point-blank range after he'd gotten free with a lovely turn in the Atletico penalty area.

Minutes later, Lionel Messi hit the post from a free kick 25 yards out after Gabi had fouled the Argentina international.

And Messi would have another chance just past the 70-minute mark, the ball falling to him at the top of the penalty area only for his left-footed shot to skirt wide of the post when a equaliser looked the likelier outcome.

But the equaliser came in the 81st minute when Sergi Roberto's curled cross from the right side found Suarez, who smashed a header past Oblak to make it 1-1.

Suarez has now scored in three of his last four games against Atletico Madrid.

Source: espn.co.uk

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