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Friday, January 10, 2020, 13:45
Atletico upset Barca to book Super Cup final with Madrid
By Xinhua
Friday, January 10, 2020, 13:45 By Xinhua

Atletico Madrid's Alvaro Morata, centre top, jumps for the header during the Spanish Super Cup semifinal soccer match between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid at King Abdullah stadium in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, Jan 10, 2020. (AMR NABIL / AP)

MADRID — The Spanish Super Cup final will be a Madrid derby as Atletico Madrid upset Barcelona in a thrilling 3-2 comeback win in the semis to book a final clash against neighboring Real Madrid in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Down 2-1 with 10 minutes to go, Atletico turned the tables as Alvaro Morata converted a penalty & Angel Correa scored the winner in a 5-min onslaught

Down 2-1 with 10 minutes to go, Atletico turned the tables as Alvaro Morata converted a penalty and Angel Correa scored the winner in a five-minute onslaught.

This will be Atletico's seventh Spanish Super Cup final where they hope to win their third title.

ALSO READ: Madrid reaches Spanish Super Cup final by beating Valencia 3-1

Barcelona's Lionel Messi, center, scores his side's opening goal during the Spanish Super Cup semifinal soccer match between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid at King Abdullah stadium in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, Jan 9, 2020. (HASSAN AMMAR / AP)

After a goalless first half, Koke broke the deadlock for Atletico in the opening minute of the second period after coming on as a substitute during the break. Lionel Messi equalized for Barcelona five minutes later, dancing through two defenders and hitting the back of the net before his second goal in the 59th minute was disallowed by VAR for a handball.

Carrying on the attacking play, Antoine Griezmann's header in the 62nd minute put the 13-time winners one step closer to the final but Gerard Pique's effort to seal the win in the 74th minute was again ruled out by VAR.

Atletico Madrid's Joao Felix, right, fights for the ball with Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong during the Spanish Super Cup semifinal soccer match between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid at King Abdullah stadium in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, Jan 10, 2020. (AMR NABIL / AP)

Atletico equalized with 10 minutes left on the clock as Vitolo was brought down in the box by Barca keeper Neto. Morata deceived the Brazilian and slotted the penalty into the bottom right corner.

Correa completed the late comeback drama five minutes later on an accurate through ball from Morata and Neto's desperate attempt failed to stop the ball from bouncing into the goal.

Simone's men will face 10-time winners Real Madrid, who fended off Valencia 3-1 on Wednesday, in the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah on Sunday.

Barcelona's Luis Suarez, left, fights with Atletico Madrid's Stefan Savic, center, during the Spanish Super Cup semifinal soccer match between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid at King Abdullah stadium in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, Jan 9, 2020. (HASSAN AMMAR / AP)

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