To win La Liga, you obviously have to play well to earn three points over and over again. But sometimes you just need lady luck to be on your side. Atletico Madrid took a big step towards potentially winning the league with a 1-0 win at Elche on Saturday. With Real Madrid and Barcelona on their heels, Atleti got the win with a Marcos Llorente goal. But late, the Spanish midfielder was called for a handball in the box, giving the hosts a penalty kick in the 90th minute.
With two points on the line going from a potential win to a potential draw, Fidel Chavez came up to take the kick against Jan Oblak. He kept the ball away from the star goalkeeper, but it was a bit too far away as the ball hit the post and went out. Take a look:
😱 Can this penalty miss by Fidel Chaves be the deciding factor for Atletico Madrid to win La Liga?! #ElcheAtleti pic.twitter.com/XkJXW7GObz
— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) May 1, 2021
What a relief for Atleti, as they go five points clear atop the table instead of three. That victory gives them a bit of wiggle room for next Saturday at Barcelona, as a draw would probably suffice to keep them in the driver's seat.
They dominated the chances in this one but weren't clinical enough to put it away, but the woodwork let off the hook and they can count their blessings, and all three points.
