MADRID, Aug 30: As the ball trickled across the goal line for one of the most bizarre own-goals this season, Villarreal players dropped to the ground in despair.
Coach Unai Emery pulled his jacket back in disgust, almost ripping it, after seeing his team’s chance of a big win over the defending Spanish league champion slip away in a dramatic way.
Villarreal had to settle for a 2-2 draw against Atlético Madrid on Sunday after defender Aissa Mandi headed the ball into his own net in the last minute of stoppage time at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium.
“I’ve been kicking the walls and hitting bottles for the past half-hour in the locker room,” Emery said.
With no one near him, Mandi tried to pass the ball back into his area but didn’t realize that goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli was out of position. Rulli wasn’t expecting the pass back and could do nothing but watch the ball slowly roll past him.
Luis Suárez scored in his first start of the season but Atlético couldn’t take advantage of its chance to become the only team with three straight victories.
The result extended Villarreal’s winless streak against Atlético to seven league matches.
Atlético was in control during most of the match but struggled to keep the visitors from threatening in counterattacks.
Villarreal opened the scoring with Manu Triguero’s shot into the top corner in the 52nd before Suárez equalized four minutes later after being set up by Ángel Correa, who had three goals in his first two matches.
Arnaut Danjuma put Villarreal ahead in the 74th after a blunder by the Atlético defense as Kieran Trippier and Stefan Savic got mixed up while going for a ball near the area. The late blunder at the end allowed Atlético to equalize. (AP)
