Levante v Atlético Madrid Live Commentary & Result, 18/01/2023, Copa del Rey

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That is the end of Levante's Copa del Rey journey for this season. They turn their attention now to the league and next travel to face Leganes on Sunday. Atletico progress to the quarter finals of the Copa del Rey but next up face Valladolid at home in LaLiga on Saturday.

Second-half goals from Morata and Llorente have seen Atletico through to the quarter finals of the Copa del Rey after a 2-0 away win against Levante. It was Levante who were the better team in the first period with a disallowed goal and a narrow miss from Martinez. But their LaLiga opposition turned it on in the second half in a much-improved performance. Correa was bright off the bench and played a key part in both goals: sliding through Llorente whose cross was swept home by Morata for the opener and then turning over possession in added time to play through Molina, whose assist set up Llorente's composed finish and Atleti's second.

90' + 4' FULL-TIME: Levante 0-2 Atletico Madrid

N. Molina

Assist

90' + 1' Molina got his head up well and played the sensible pass to Llorente to finish.

Marcos Llorente

Goal

90' + 1' GOOOOOAAAALLL!!! 2-0!!! GAME OVER!! Atletico double their lead through Llorente in the first minute of added time and that should be that. Levante had thrown numbers forward and Correa could break with the ball. He found Molina who, in turn, slid through Llorente. The Spaniard kept his cool one-on-one and slotted his effort past Femenias and into the Levante net.

90' + 1' There will be four minutes of added time in this second half.

90' Atleti, as you would expect, have managed this game very well so far since going a goal ahead. They're keeping the ball well and maintaining their defensive discipline as the game enters the final moments.

88' As we enter the final stages, it is the home side Levante who need an equaliser if they are to stay in the Copa del Rey.

Andrés García

Pablo Martínez

86' Levante make another change as Martínez is swapped for Garcia.

Campaña

Yellow Card

85' Yellow Card José Ángel Gómez Campaña

84' Saracchi has some space down the left-flank and the full-back whips a low cross towards Wesley. Savic is well-positioned and able to clear the cross, though.

82' Levante win another corner but again opt to take it short. They work the play to the other flank but the cross is poor and Atleti can clear.

80' SAVE!!!!! It is a great save from Femenias to keep his side in it. Levante give the ball away cheaply at the back and Molina pounces. He plays in Correa who unleashes a vicious strike from the edge of the box. Femenias is equal to it and tips it around the post before making another good diving catch to deny Hermoso from the subsequent corner.

Koke

R. De Paul

79' Simeone makes another change this time in midfield. De Paul takes his time but eventually makes way and is replaced by Koke.

77' Molina makes a lung-busting run up the pitch to support an Atleti counter-attack. De Paul slides him through but his low cross from the right is cleared away by Pier.

76' It is more good work down the Levante right and Cantero's cross is cleared out for a corner. Soldado and Wesley both look to direct it goalwards but once more Atletico are able to clear.

75' Wesley manages to hold up the ball well for Levante and they fashion a corner after a blocked Son cross.

Wesley Moraes

Joni Montiel

71' Wesley also comes on up top for Levante with Montiel making way.

Soldado

M. Bouldini

71' Levante turn to their bench again. This time Soldado comes on up front to replace Bouldini.

Álex Muñoz

Yellow Card

70' Munoz believes he should have had a penalty for that challenge and is booked for his complaints to the referee.

69' Munoz went down after that initial cross under a challenge from Kondogbia but it looks like the defender is okay to continue.

68' Levante have a corner as Montiel's vicious long-rang effort is deflected over. Yet again they opt to play it short and the cross is initially cleared. It is recycled before Bouldini finds himself with space to fire a header on goal. The forward cannot generate the power and it is well saved by Oblak.

67' Llorente has continued to be hard working down the right flank and he finds himself with more space again. This time his cross cannot find a teammate and Levante are able to hack the cross clear.

66' It looks as if it will be Correa leading the line in Morata's absence with Griezmann and Saul playing just behind the Argentine.

Saúl

Álvaro Morata

64' Atleti turn to their bench for the second time in this game and it is the goalscorer Morata who is coming off. Saul is on to replace him.

63' Levante have responded well since going down and are seeing more off the ball now. Cantero has the beating of Correa but his cross into the box is overhit and Atleti can clear the cross.

Campaña

Jorge de Frutos

59' De Frutos also makes way on the other flank and Campana is on in his place.

Cantero

C. Musonda

59' Levante turn to their bench in response to that Atleti opener with a double change. First off is Musonda with Cantero on to replace him.

57' It is Correa once again with an effort after he combines well with Griezmann from the corner. It is a tight angle and he tries to pock it in towards the near post but Femenias is aware and keeps the effort out.

Marcos Llorente

Assist

54' It's a well-directed low cross from Llorente to pick out Morata to score at the back post.

Álvaro Morata

Goal

54' GOOOOOAAAAL!!!!! ATLETICO LEAD!! 1-0! Atletico's much-improved start to the second half pays dividends immediately and it is Morata with the goal. Correa has been a bright spark since his introduction and he starts the play by beating a man and driving towards goal. He slides in Llorente down the right who fires a low cross into the box which evades every Levante defender but arrives at the feet of Morata who sweeps home to give his side the lead.

51' It is a far more positive start from Atleti. Correa drives through the heart of the Levante defence with the ball and combines well with Llorente and Griezmann. In the end the Argentine's effort is well-blocked by the Levante defenders but it's an encouraging sign from Simeone's men and their subsitute, in particular.

49' De Paul is roaming across the Atleti midfield to try and influence the game in the second half. His incisive pass tries to set Morata free but not for the first time the Spaniard mistimes his run and is caught offside.

46' Atletico get the second half underway.

Á. Correa

Pablo Barrios

46' There is a subsitition at half-time with Rivas coming off for Correa.

Simeone must surely be wanting a much-improved second-half performance from his Atletico side who have failed to impose their will on the game at all up to this point. Calleja will be pleased by the attacking intent of his Levante side in that first period but may need to punish their opposition before they click into gear. It's evenly poised here and it feels like the first goal may go a long way to deciding this encounter.

It remains goalless as we reach half-time in this Copa del Rey encounter between Levante and Atletico. It is the second-division side who have impressed more in the first period, having seen a goal chalked off for a foul in the build-up and Martinez's sharp effort fly wide after a poor defensive clearance. Atleti have failed to threaten a great deal, with Griezmann's blocked effort their only shot of the half.

45' HALF-TIME: Levante 0-0 Atletico Madrid

42' De Paul, on his return, has been growing in influence as this first half has worn on. His well-hit pass finds Llorente on the right wing. The Spaniard's cross is aiming for Morata at the back post but it is too high and allows Son to recover and win the ball in a challenge with the Atleti forward.

39' Montiel delivers the free-kick but it is overhit and Oblak punches away. Levante recover the ball and send it back in but Bouldini's header is weak and saved easily by Oblak.

38' Levante's fifth corner is taken short and Montiel is able to win a foul after a poorly-timed challenge from Molina.

36' De Paul and Llorente combine well down the Atleti right. The latter is able to reach the byline and tries to deliver a low cross into the box. His cross is too close to Femenias, though, who dives and smothers the effort.

34' CHANCE!! Levante whip the ball in from the left-hand side and it is a poor header away from Reinildo. The ball lands straight at the feet of the onrushing Martinez who catches it well but it flies just wide of Oblak's left post. That is a let off for Atletico.

32' Martinez delivers and Bouldini nearly manages to fashion an opportunity as the ball dropped but he is unable to sort his feet out and scuffs the attempt into Oblak.

31' Levante have made a good account of themselves in the opening stages. Montiel tries to wriggle free from the clutches of Savic but the central defender recovers to force a corner. Atleti clear but Levante recycle play to win another.

30' Griezmann, who is easy to spot with his distinct pink hair, is dropping incredibly deep to try and influence the game and get this Atletico side further up the pitch.

27' Atleti have their first effort of the game through Griezmann. The Frenchman pickes up the ball from Llorente but his effort from outside the box is blocked.

25' DISALLOWED! From a corner, Levante think they have taken the lead but it's ruled out. They fire a low effort towards goal which bounces up into the air. Oblak fumbles the ball under pressure and Munoz has the ball in the net from the rebound. However, Bouldini is adjudged to have fouled Oblak as the two contested the ball and the referee blows for a foul.

22' Morata once more tries to run in behind but yet again he is found offside as he tries to run on to Reinildo's pass.

18' Levante's first corner of the game is poorly delivered and claimed with ease by Oblak.

16' Morata looks to make a run behind the Levante defence but Savic's searching pass to find him is overhit and flies out for a throw-in.

15' Levante have settled and grown into this game as they enjoy a nice spell of possession. Musonda fails to find space for a cross down the left flank but the home side continue to recycle play and probe for an opening.

12' Morata makes a promising run into the box and thinks he has won a penalty when he goes down under a challenge. The referee instead pulls back the play for a free-kick as the Spanish forward was offside in the build-up.

8' The first corner goes the way of Atletico. Morata tries to beat Son down the right flank but his attempted cross is deflected out for a corner. Griezmann delivers the corner but the Levante defence deal with the threat.

5' The first effort comes the way of Levante and De Frutos who strikes with his right foot from the edge of the box. It goes well wide despite appeals from Levante players that the ball struck an Atleti defender on the way out.

3' It is still early stages in this match but Atletico are looking to get on the ball.

1' Levante get the game underway.

Levante are unbeaten against Atletico in their last four games.

Atletico Madrid and Diego Simeone make four changes from the side that drew 1-1 with Almeria. Witsel, Koke, Lemar and Correa are replaced by Savic, De Paul, Rivas, and Morata.

Levante make six changes from their 3-1 victory against Granada on the weekend. In goal, Femenias comes in to replace Cardenas. Elsewhere Vezo, Postigo, Campana, Cantero and Wesley make way for Saracchi, Pepelu Musonda, Bouldini and Montiel.

ATLETICO MADRID SUBS: Angel Correa, Thomas Lemar, Ivo Grbic, Sergio Reguilon, Axel Witsel, Marco Moreno, Koke, Alberto Moreno, Carlos Martin, Saul Niguez, Felipe.

ATLETICO MADRID (4-4-2): Jan Oblak; Nahuel Molina, Stefan Savic, Mario Hermoso, Reinildo; Marcos Llorente, Rodrigo de Paul, Geoffrey Kondogbia, Pablo Barrios Rivas; Alvaro Morata, Antoine Griezmann.

LEVANTE SUBS: Daniel Cardenas, Carlos Gimenez, Hugo Redon, Ruben Vezo, Roberto Soldado, Alejandro Cantero, Andres Garcia, Sergio Postigo, Jose Campana, Wesley.

LEVANTE (4-4-2): Joan Femenias; Son, Rober Pier, Alex Munoz, Marcelo Saracchi; Jorge de Frutos, Pepelu, Pablo Martinez, Charly Musonda; Jonathan Montiel, Mohamed Bouldini.

Atletico Madrid will be expecting to win tonight and progress as they look to win their first Copa del Rey since the 2012-13 season. Diego Simeone's side are winless in their last two after a defeat to Barcelona and a draw against Almeria but they reached the round of 16 after a 2-0 away victory against Real Oviedo.

Second-division Levante head into this match the heavy underdogs. Javier Calleja's side are currently third in the second tier but unbeaten since October. They reached the round of 16 after a 3-2 victory against LaLiga's Getafe.

Hello and welcome to this live commentary for the Copa del Rey round-of-16 encounter between Levante and Atletico Madrid.

Levante v Atlético Madrid Live Commentary, 18/01/2023

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