MADRID (AP) — Girona became the first Spanish top-flight team to be beaten in the Copa del Rey round of 32 on Thursday, while Atletico Madrid had to fight for victory at another time.
Girona, which is 13th in the Spanish league, was beaten 2-1 by fourth division club Cacereno in western Spain.
After Girona drew 1-1, Iván Fernández scored with a superb shot from outside the area that made the club’s modest fans vibrate. Girona still had half an hour to respond but the locals held on.
Atlético nearly suffered another upset before coming from behind to beat Arenteiro 3-1, who had defeated first division side Almería the previous day.
Diego Simeone was without France’s Antoine Griezmann and Argentina’s Nahuel Molina and Ángel Correa after their teams reached the World Cup final.. But they did feature all their Spanish internationals and most of their regular starters, except for João Félix, who the club said was ill.
Arenteiro, a club from rural northwest Spain that plays in the fourth division, took the lead through Markitos at 43.
Yannick Carrasco quickly equalized from a penalty, but the hosts were buoyed by goalkeeper Diego Garcia’s save of another Álvaro Morata penalty.
The big club only took control in minute 77 when Pablo Barrios scored the 19-year-old’s first goal for Atlético from outside the area. Carrasco added a third to complete his stoppage-time brace.
This week’s Copa del Rey matches are the first involving top division teams since they stopped playing for the World Cup.
Real Madrid, Barcelona, Real Betis and Valencia have had breaks in the first two rounds because they qualified to play in the Spanish Super Cup. The foursome will now join the round of 16.
The Spanish league starts again on December 29.
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