A last-minute goal from Jose Maria Gimenez secured a 2-1 victory for Atletico Madrid over RB Leipzig in their UEFA Champions League opener on Thursday.
Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko gave the visitors an early lead just four minutes in, but Antoine Griezmann equalized for Atletico after 28 minutes. In the final minute of regular time, Griezmann chipped a ball towards goal from the edge of the box, and Gimenez rose to head it past Leipzig goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi, completing the comeback.
“It’s amazing. To get a last-minute goal like this is always fantastic, and it’s good to give the fans something to cheer about,” said Atletico’s Alexander Sorloth, a former Leipzig player, speaking to DAZN. “We kept building, believed in ourselves, put pressure on Leipzig, and won the game.”
Leipzig’s Christoph Baumgartner expressed his frustration after the match: “We’re disappointed because we could have taken at least a point back home from Madrid. Atletico were just one goal better.”
Leipzig’s early dominance saw Sesko tap in from close range after Jan Oblak parried a shot from Lois Openda. The visitors nearly doubled their lead when Sesko connected with a Xavi Simons free-kick, but the ball went out for a corner.
Atletico, backed by a passionate home crowd, found their equaliser through Griezmann, who calmly slotted the ball in from 12 yards. Despite late chances for Leipzig, including a missed effort from Simons and a wide header from Yussuf Poulsen, Atletico took all three points.
The defeat was Leipzig’s first in 17 games, ending a run dating back to February. Atletico avenged their previous 2-1 loss to Leipzig in the 2019-20 Champions League quarter-final. Leipzig’s Champions League campaign now faces tougher tests with upcoming matches against Juventus and Liverpool.
