La Liga: Late Suarez strike sends Atletico Madrid to brink of title

Atletico Madrid dominated the game and hit the woodwork twice in the first half before having two goals ruled out for offside.

Atletico Madrid took a giant step towards the La Liga title in dramatic circumstances by fighting its way back to beat Osasuna 2-1 at home on Sunday thanks to a late strike from Luis Suarez.

Atletico dominated the game and hit the woodwork twice in the first half before having two goals ruled out for offside but fell behind in the 76th minute when a bullet header from Ante Budimir crossed the line before Jan Oblak could punch it away.

Atletico hit back with an emphatic finish from substitute Renan Lodi in the 82nd minute while top scorer Suarez completed the comeback by firing home from inside the area in the 88th.

Diego Simeone's side nearly conceded an equaliser deep into added time though when Chimy Avila caught sight of goal but Oblak got across to parry before grabbing the ball with both hands.

 

The victory took Atletico on to 83 points after 37 games, two ahead of second-placed Real Madrid which won 1-0 at Athletic Bilbao.

Atletico visits Real Valladolid on the final day of the season next Sunday while Real hosts Villarreal.

As it had done in Wednesday's 2-1 win over Real Sociedad, Atletico came flying out of the blocks in search of a goal to put its minds at ease.

"It was a moment of pure happiness," Suarez said of his winner.

"We didn't deserve to suffer like we did, it was one of our best first-half performances of the season but we missed so many chances, me more than anyone. But to win La Liga you have to suffer and that's what we had to do today."

Suarez also admitted his side had been trying to keep up with events in Bilbao and that their nerves nearly got the better of them.

"In the water break we heard Real were winning and sometimes the tension gets the better of you but we kept our patience and kept on creating chances," he added.

"Now we have to win at Valladolid in the most important game of the season."

Defender Mario Hermoso even tried his luck from his own half in the opening minutes but failed to catch out Osasuna keeper Sergio Herrera, who comfortably saved from Yannick Carrasco moments later.

Atletico's first clear chance fell to Suarez but the Uruguayan scuffed his shot inside the area and Herrera saved well. Suarez then wasted an even more glaring effort, hitting the post from only a few metres out with Herrera beaten.

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The visiting keeper made his fourth save in the first half to keep out a shot from Angel Correa while he was beaten by a long range strike from Saul Niguez but the shot kissed the outside of the post.

Atletico continued to search hungrily for an opening in the second half but the nerves seemed to be setting in and it could not keep its composure in front of goal.

It did manage to find the net when Stefan Savic knocked in a free kick but the goal was ruled out for offside while Carrasco also netted a few minutes later only to have his effort chalked off.

The title looked to be slipping from Atletico's fingers when Croatian forward Budimir beat Oblak, just as Real took the lead in Bilbao.

But Simeone's side responded perfectly with two goals in the space of six minutes.

"We had a lot of chances but we weren't clinical until they went ahead and it was only then when we responded," said Simeone.

"When we had the most chances we had least composure and when we had only a couple opportunities left that was when we were most clinical."