Atletico Madrid vs Getafe: Lookman comes off the bench as World Cup winner's wonder strike clinches victory for Rojiblancos

Super Eagles star Ademola Lookman started on the bench as Nahuel Molina’s audacious eighth-minute strike earned Atlético Madrid a gritty 1-0 victory over Getafe to consolidate third place in LaLiga.

Staged at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, Diego Simeone named a rotated side, keeping heavy hitters like Lookman, Julian Alvarez and Giovanni Simeone on the bench until the second-half with his sight set on the Champions League second leg clash against Tottenham on Wednesday.

The Rojiblancos monopolised possession in the early exchanges, pinning Getafe deep into their own half. The early pressure paid dividends in just the 8th minute when Nahuel Molina found the back of the net to give Atlético a 1-0 advantage. 

The Argentine World Cup winner collected the ball into his path before rifling a half-volley into the top right corner, beating David Soria with the remarkable effort.

Atlético continued to control the rhythm of the game but failed to beat the solid Soria. Just before the interval, Molina nearly doubled his tally and secured a brace, but his right-footed shot from the centre of the penalty area narrowly missed to the right of the post.

Emerging for the second half, Getafe attempted to mount a response but saw their chances diminished when Abdelkabir Abqar was sent off for a brash tackle following VAR review.

The visitors failed to register a single shot on target throughout the entire contest, severely limiting any genuine chance of a comeback. 

While both managers turned to their benches to alter the tactical flow, with Simeone bringing on Lookman and a host of other starters, the flow of the game barely changed, nor did the scoreline, as Atletico held on to the result.

This crucial 1-0 victory propels Atlético Madrid to 57 points, reinforcing their stronghold on third place and maintaining their formidable domestic home record.