MADRID, Dec 23: Girona became the first top-flight Spanish team to be upset in the Copa del Rey’s round-of-32, while Atlético Madrid had to fight back for victory at another minnow.Girona, which is 13th in the Spanish league, was upset 2-1 at the fourth-tier Cacereño in western Spain.
After Girona had equalized to make it 1-1, Iván Fernández scored with a superb strike from outside the area to thrill the modest club’s fans. Girona still had half an hour to respond but the hosts held firm.
Atlético almost suffered another surprise before rallying for a 3-1 win at Arenteiro, which had beaten first-division Almería in the previous round.Diego Simeone was without France’s Antoine Griezmann and Argentina players Nahuel Molina and Ángel Correa but he did have all his Spanish internationals and most of his regular starters.
American midfielder Luca de la Torre got Celta Vigo’s final goal in a 3-0 win at fourth-tier Gernika. The 24-year-old entered in the 57th minute and scored on a a left-foot shot from just inside the penalty area in the 68th after a failed clearance.
This week’s Copa del Rey games are the first involving teams from the first division since they stopped play for the World Cup.
The Spanish league starts back up again on December 29. (AP)
