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Reuters
Reuters
Sport

Atletico go fourth with win at Betis

Soccer Football - La Liga Santander - Real Betis v Atletico Madrid - Estadio Benito Villamarin, Seville, Spain - December 22, 2019 Atletico Madrid's Alvaro Morata celebrates scoring their second goal with teammates REUTERS/Marcelo del Pozo

SEVILLE (Reuters) - Atletico Madrid moved back into the top four in La Liga with a hard-fought 2-1 win at Real Betis on Sunday as they recorded back-to-back league victories for the first time since the beginning of September.

Substitute Angel Correa put Atletico in front in the 58th minute, chasing down defender Alex Moreno and winning the ball back before rounding goalkeeper Joel Robles and passing into the net.

Striker Alvaro Morata doubled Atletico's lead in the 84th minute by turning in a cross from Correa with a back-heeled finish to get a confidence-boosting goal after hitting the post in the first half and having a strike ruled out for offside.

Soccer Football - La Liga Santander - Real Betis v Atletico Madrid - Estadio Benito Villamarin, Seville, Spain - December 22, 2019 Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone reacts REUTERS/Marcelo del Pozo

Betis hit the woodwork in either half and finally scored in added time when Marc Bartra bundled the ball into the net from a crowded penalty area.

The win followed last week's 2-0 success over Osasuna and was the first time Diego Simeone's had strung two victories together in domestic competition since they won their opening three games of the campaign.

Atletico are fourth on 32 points after 18 games while Betis are 13th on 23.

Soccer Football - La Liga Santander - Real Betis v Atletico Madrid - Estadio Benito Villamarin, Seville, Spain - December 22, 2019 Atletico Madrid's Saul Niguez in action with Real Betis' Aissa Mandi REUTERS/Marcelo del Pozo

(Reporting by Richard Martin, editing by Pritha Sarkar)

Soccer Football - La Liga Santander - Real Betis v Atletico Madrid - Estadio Benito Villamarin, Seville, Spain - December 22, 2019 Real Betis' Loren in action with Atletico Madrid's Felipe REUTERS/Marcelo del Pozo
Soccer Football - La Liga Santander - Real Betis v Atletico Madrid - Estadio Benito Villamarin, Seville, Spain - December 22, 2019 Atletico Madrid's Joao Felix in action with Real Betis' Alex Moreno REUTERS/Marcelo del Pozo
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