CNN
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Atlético Madrid recorded their second win of the season with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Valencia at Mestalla.
Substitute Antoine Griezmann scored the game’s only goal midway through the second half when his deflected shot went past Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili.
Both Griezmann and Yannick Carrasco had chances to extend Atlético’s lead late in the game, but their efforts were well saved by Mamardashvili.
The result leaves Atleti sixth in La Liga, three points behind leaders Real Madrid after suffering a 2-0 home loss to Villarreal in the second round.
A turbulent first half saw several VAR interventions – first when Valencia’s American midfielder Yunus Musah was disallowed a goal following a foul on Joao Félix in the build-up, then when a red card for Thierry Correia has been demoted to yellow.
Atlético also had chances in the first half when Valencia gave away the ball at the back, but Álvaro Morata and Félix both had their shots saved by Mamardashvili.
The arrival of Griezmann and Thomas Lemar in the second half, however, tipped the match in favor of Atlético, and it was Lemar’s run and pass that scored the winning goal.
Valencia are now 14th in La Liga without having won since their season opener against Girona, but Gennaro Gattuso’s side will be bolstered by the arrival of Edinson Cavani, who watched from the stands in the defeat of Monday.
The Uruguay international joins Valencia until June 2024 after leaving Manchester United last season.
After spells at Palermo, Napoli and Paris Saint-Germain, this will be the first time Cavani, 35, has played club football in Spain.
“I think my coaching staff and my medical staff have to work well because he’s a player who’s only been training alone for three months,” Gattuso told reporters after the loss.
“We have to train him well. He came to help, but we have to help him with his game and his organization.
