Optimum Sports : Atletico Grab Real Draw

Gareth Bale

Atlético Madrid substitute Luciano Vietto scored a late goal to snatch a 1-1 draw against Real Madrid, denying Rafa Benítez’s side the chance to reclaim the lead in La Liga.

Karim Benzema gave Real a great start with his league-leading sixth goal to quieten the Vicente Calderón crowd only nine minutes into the match and the Real goalkeeper, Keylor Navas, protected that advantage by saving Antoine Griezmann’s penalty in the 22nd minute.

But as Real settled for defending instead of seeking a second goal to seal the win Atlético pushed forward and Vietto poked in a cross from his fellow substitute Jackson Martínez in the 83rd minute.

“We had the win in our hands,” Navas said. “This isn’t the result we wanted, but it’s a point and we have to value it. We committed a mistake and in these games errors are paid for dearly.”

Real squandered the opportunity to overtake Villarreal at the top of the table after the leaders lost 1-0 at Levante earlier.

Real are level on points with Celta Vigo in third and Barcelona in fourth after the champions’ 2-1 loss at Sevilla on Saturday. Diego Simeone’s Atlético remain in fifth place, three points off Villarreal’s pace.

“We snatched a point, and tried to get the win, but it wasn’t to be,” the 21-year-old Vietto said after his first goal for Atlético since moving from Villarreal.

Benzema continues to be Real’s most consistent scorer this campaign as Cristiano Ronaldo had a subdued game.

Benzema put Real in front by finding space among four Atlético defenders to head in Dani Carvajal’s cross after the right-back had dribbled past Filipe Luis on the right flank.

Atlético tried to respond through their forward Angel Correa, who went close twice, before Sergio Ramos fouled Tiago Mendes in the area. But Navas judged Griezmann’s intention and parried the shot sent to the goalkeeper’s left side.

Gareth Bale returned from a four-game injury absence as a Real substitute in the 66th minute, but Benítez took off Benzema for the midfielder Mateo Kovacic with 13 minutes to go in a clear effort to hold on to the slim lead.

But Jackson dribbled past Arbelao to the goal-line and Vietto turned the ball into the net.

Jackson almost grabbed a stoppage-time winner but drew a superb save from Navas with a curling strike.