•Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann and teammate Julian Alvarez
Brazilian side Botafogo booked their place in the last 16 of the Club World Cup yesterday despite a 1-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid which was not enough to prevent the Spaniards crashing out.
Atletico, routed 4-0 by Paris Saint-Germain in their opening game of the tournament, went into the final round of Group B fixtures knowing they would likely need a big win to advance, reports AFP.
With PSG defeating the Seattle Sounders 2-0 elsewhere in Group B, that task proved beyond Diego Simeone’s men in another sweltering midday kick-off in front of 22,992 fans at the Pasadena Rose Bowl.
Former France international Antoine Griezmann scored the game’s only goal, lashing home a Julian Alvarez cross in the 87th minute to give Atletico a victory that ultimately was in vain.
Botafogo — who upset European champions PSG 1-0 in their second group game — finished the group stage in second on six points behind the French giants, who top the section on goal difference.
Atletico, who also finished with six points, missed out on goal difference behind Botafogo.
“We’re frustrated that we didn’t qualify — we had six points,” Atletico coach Simeone said afterwards. “At the end of the day we were punished because it wasn’t enough.
“I’m proud of the work of my guys. We played our hearts out; we won two games but unfortunately we are not going through.”
Botafogo, the South American champions, started brightly against Atletico, with the lively Venezuelan international Jefferson Savarino testing Jan Oblak in the opening minutes.
Atletico though grew into the contest and controlled possession and territory as the first half wore on.
Argentina international striker Alvarez had a promising opening in the 41st minute, but saw his shot deflect off Botafogo centre-half Alexander Barboza for a corner.
Atletico thought they had made a crucial breakthrough on the stroke of half-time when Alvarez appeared to be kicked in the penalty area, prompting a penalty check by the video assistant referee.
But while Alvarez appeared to be fouled, the review spotted a foul on Barboza in the build-up and no penalty was given.
“None of the decisions went our way,” Simeone said of the incident afterwards.
With time running out in the second half, Atletico spent long periods camped in Botafogo territory with the Brazilians seemingly content to soak up pressure.
The side from Rio de Janeiro came closest to breaking the deadlock on 67 minutes, with Igor Jesus’s first-time volley from Cuiabano’s cross parried away by Oblak for a corner.
Yet in the closing stages Griezmann grabbed what turned out to be the winning goal, taking advantage of poor marking to tuck away Alvarez’s whipped cross — but it was too little, too late for them.
