Santiago Giménez scores Champions League own goal as Atlético Madrid eliminate Feyenoord

Santiago Giménez’s night in the Champions League promised much but ended in tragedy. The striker did not put in a good performance on the pitch against Atlético Madrid, who defended well against their Dutch opponents. And things went from bad to worse when the Mexican, with his side behind and looking for an equaliser, put the ball in the back of his own net to sentence his side on the fifth match day of the Champions League.

Santi, while trying to defend a free kick against, jumped up at the front post and flicked Rodrigo Riquelme’s shot behind him in quite an extraordinary manner. However, the contact was unpredictable and the ball spun off his head and past Biljow, who was completely out of position to save such an attempt.

Santi’s goal came at the worst time for his side

Giménez, who got a hat-trick in the right end of the pitch at the weekend, remained still on the floor for a few seconds, coming to terms with the mistake as fans at the De Kuip stadium watched in silence as the Colchoneros celebrated jubilantly at the gift they had been given. Rodrigo Riquelme himself had forced the free kick after a foul by Sauer on the edge of the Dutch area, and it was the youngster at the centre of the huddle as the green shirts peeled away to the corner.

At 1-3, Feyenoord no longer had air in their lungs and the hope needed to claw back the result with just 10 minutes left to play. As such, with Santi’s own goal, the hope of the club rushed out of the stadium as the exit gates began to fill with fans.

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Feyenoord’s own goals condemned them to a loss

Atlético won the match with a pair of own goals: in addition to Gimenez’s, Lutsharel Geertruida had put the ball in his own net on 13 minutes with an accidental deflection off his thighs following another Atlético free kick. Mario Hermoso extended Atleti’s lead (0-2) on 56 minutes and Feyenoord’s Wieffer, with a header from a corner, gave hope to the Dutch side, but it all evaporated away with Giménez’s friendly fire.

Feyenoord remained on six points and dropped to third place in Group E of the Champions League: they now have no chance of advancing to the next round. However, the reigning Eredivisie champions will still be able to continue their continental adventure, as they will play in the knockout stages of the Europa League.