They believed, fought, and achieved it. UD Las Palmas' squad secured a memorable victory against Atlético de Madrid (2-1) on Friday, in a night filled with emotions and exceptional daring from the yellow team. The victory was sealed in the second half, with goals from Kirian Rodríguez and Benito Ramírez. International Álvaro Morata pulled one back in the closing stages, but the celebration at the Gran Canaria Stadium was complete, with 30,080 fans in the stands.
In the lineup presented by UD Las Palmas on Friday, the standout was Alberto Moleiro's first starting role in the top tier of Spanish football. This moment, much dreamed of by the young talent from Tenerife, arrived in the clash against a Champions League-quality opponent, as he integrated into a midfield alongside Kirian, Marvin Park, Perrone, and Javi Muñoz.
García Pimienta's players approached the match precisely as requested by their coach on the eve of the game - to perform with personality, to dominate possession, and to be bold in their initiatives.
For many moments in the first half, Las Palmas managed to establish their base camp in the opposition's half, although their offensive attempts then failed to find a decisive finish or positions to try.
Furthermore, they had to quickly retreat due to the danger of the opponent's counter-attacks. The visitors' clearest chance came at 22 minutes with Rodrigo Riquelme's run and shot that Valles managed to deflect for a corner. All other mutual attempts until halftime were handled with authority both by Oblak and his UD Las Palmas counterpart.
The efforts of the yellow team began to make sense early in the second half. Atlético seemed to push forward when, after a steal, Moleiro set up Kirian, and the Tenerife captain successfully shot from the edge to seal the 1-0 lead. The ball slipped between the legs of Javi Muñoz, allowing Rodríguez to strike from a solitary position earned.
Valles and the woodwork prevented the equalizer three minutes after Las Palmas's goal. The La Rinconada goalkeeper caught another shot from Rodrigo Riquelme, who had raced into the Naciente area.
Las Palmas didn't lose focus, a third pre-match request from their coach. They capitalized on a new advantage in the 73rd minute after a steal and a swift collective action. The ball quickly passed through Muñoz, Munir, and finally Benito Ramírez, who placed a powerful strike next to the post. Oblak couldn't reach it either.
Atlético managed to reduce the score with eight minutes remaining, courtesy of a first-touch finish from striker Álvaro Morata. They had the opportunity to level with a shot from the same player that hit the crossbar. But Las Palmas held firm until the 98th minute to protect their lead, securing three valuable points that continue to bolster hopes of remaining in the league.