A battle between the two best defences in La Liga was unsurprisingly settled by a single goal when the Italian turned home Cedric Bakambu’s cross eight minutes from time.
Victory hauls Villarreal to within five points of fourth-placed Sevilla, who have a game in hand, and eight of Atletico in third.
Atletico enjoyed the vast majority of the play and chances, but were undone by a brilliant performance by Andres Fernandez in the Villarreal goal.
Fernandez made a stunning double save early on as Angel Correa wriggled free inside the area to fire goalwards before Saul Niguez’s powerful header was turned to safety.
The Villarreal stopper also denied the on-form Antoine Griezmann and Nico Gaitan before the break.
Gaitan then had Atletico’s best chance of the game early in the second-half.
However, he failed to reward boss Diego Simeone for a rare start as again he was denied by Fernandez’s outstretched hand.
Villarreal had offered almost nothing as an attacking threat for the first hour but the introduction of Soriano and Bakambu from the bench posed a threat on the counter-attack in the final quarter.
Soriano should have done better with a huge chance that was blocked by Diego Godin 12 minutes from time.
However, he made amends just four minutes later by turning home Bakambu’s cross to inflict just Atletico’s second league defeat since the sides last met back in December.
Results
Sporting Gijon 1 (Rodriguez 39) Espanyol 1 (Moreno 55)
Granada 0 Malaga 2 (Sandro Ramirez 47, 90+1)
Atletico Madrid 0 Villarreal 1 (Soriano 82)
Related Story
