MADRID (AP) - Atlético Madrid was heading for another disappointment on Sunday before Álvaro Morata came to the rescue again.
The striker provided the spark Atlético needed after his team had conceded a goal in the first half at home against Espanyol, which increased the pressure on Atletico following its three-match winless run and victories by Spanish league leaders Barcelona and Real Madrid a day earlier.
Morata led Atlético’s rally with an assist to Ángel Correa’s goal just before halftime. He then scored his sixth goal in as many matches after the break to put the team back on top before Jorge “Koke” Resurrección sealed the 3-1 victory in injury time.
“What matters is that we won,” Morata said. “In the end, it’s all about us sticking together in the difficult moments. Today we found a way to earn the three points that allowed us to stay near the top of the standings.”
The home win moved Atlético to third place with 24 points, one point behind Barcelona and Madrid. The Spanish powerhouses have a game in hand because their “clásico” match was postponed until December due to last month’s separatist rally in the Catalan capital.
Atlético was coming off a loss at Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League and two league draws at Sevilla and against Alavés. It had won only two of its last nine league matches entering the weekend.
“Today we showed the consistency that we lacked in the last few matches,” Atlético coach Diego Simeone said.
Espanyol opened the scoring with a shot from outside the area by Sergi Darder in the 38th minute, but Correa equalized with a close-range header off a cross from Morata in first-half stoppage time. The goal was initially disallowed for offside by Morata, but video review determined he was in a legal position.
Morata, who was recalled to Spain’s national team this week, put Atlético ahead with a shot into the top corner from inside the area in the 58th. Koke netted his goal from near the penalty spot in the final minutes.
It was the third straight league loss for Espanyol, which stayed second-to-last in the 20-team standings with eight points. It has lost nine of its 13 matches, with two wins and two draws.
Atlético had lost three of its last four league matches against Espanyol, which is one of only two teams - Real Madrid is the other - to beat Atlético at its home in the league since the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium was inaugurated in 2017.
SEVILLE DERBY
Sevilla also stayed near the top by beating Real Betis 2-1 in the Seville derby, joining Atlético on 24 points.
Lucas Ocampos and Luuk de Jong scored for the visitors, while Betis got on the board with Loren Morón.
It was Sevilla’s first win after two consecutive league draws. It hadn’t won at Betis since 2017.
Betis, coming off a draw at Real Madrid, dropped to 17th place, just outside the relegation zone.
KUBO SCORES
Japanese teenager Takefusa Kubo scored his first Spanish league goal on Sunday, leading Mallorca to its first win in four matches with a 3-1 home win against Villarreal.
The 18-year-old Kubo, playing on loan from Real Madrid, scored with a shot from outside the area in the 53rd. He also helped the team earn penalty kicks converted by Lago Junior in the 13th and Dani Rodríguez in the 23rd.
Santi Cazorla scored Villarreal’s only goal in the 49th, also from the penalty spot.
Mallorca, back in the first division for the first time since 2012-13, has won all of its 14 points at home. It is in 16th place, five points from the relegation zone.
Villarreal, winless in three matches, dropped to 11th.
ATHLETIC RALLIES
Athletic Bilbao came from behind to defeat Levante 2-1 and stay five points off the lead, in sixth place.
Sergio Postigo put the visitors ahead in first-half stoppage time, but Iker Muniain equalized in the 57th and Ander Capa scored the winner in the 88th.
Levante, coming off a 3-1 home win against Barcelona, dropped to 12th place.
Also Sunday, seventh-place Getafe drew 0-0 at home with 10th-place Osasuna.
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