UD secures a memorable victory over Atlético de Madrid (1-0)
A great win for UD Las Palmas against Atlético de Madrid (1-0). The “Yellows” claimed three valuable points this Saturday, after a match full of effort, focus, and opportunism. It was Javi Muñoz who scored the memorable goal that sent more than 27,000 fans at the Estadio de Gran Canaria into raptures. He scored in the 92nd minute, amid uncertainty with a VAR check, and that goal by Muñoz rewarded the team's hard work on a night that ended in pure joy for the Gran Canarian fans.
UD Las Palmas came out determined, staring down their powerful opponent from the get-go. The early stages were balanced, with both sides battling across different areas of the pitch.
The first real chance of the night came to Alex Suárez in the 21st minute. It happened after a corner kick and a series of deflections. The ball fell to the yellow defender who had pushed forward, and he connected with a header that landed in the hands of Oblak.
Diego Martínez’s players gradually pushed their lines into the opposition half while Atlético tried to stay organized, though they were clearly unsettled by Las Palmas’ pressure and intensity.
Speed was Atlético’s main weapon in their search for the opening goal. Dinko Horkas stepped up with two key saves to keep the score 0-0 at halftime. In the 38th minute, the Croatian keeper stopped a close-range shot from Julián Álvarez near the six-yard box, pushing it out for a corner. Then in the 40th minute, another Atlético break ended with a header from Sorloth aimed at the bottom corner, but Horkas again intervened with a crucial save.
The same patterns continued after the break. Las Palmas kept playing a disciplined and demanding game, staying highly alert against a rival that required full concentration on every play.
Both benches made changes in the second half, looking to inject new energy into the match. Moleiro moved into the heart of the Atlético midfield.
The game continued for long stretches without real action in the boxes, though there was constant battling across the pitch. A worrying moment came 10 minutes from the end when Fabio Silva signaled to be substituted due to discomfort in his groin.
Just when it seemed the night would end in a draw, Javi Muñoz struck in stoppage time. Jaime Mata battled with Atlético’s defenders for a high ball that wasn’t fully cleared from the danger area. Muñoz appeared at the right moment, placing a gentle shot past Oblak to seal Las Palmas’ first home victory of 2025.
