Atlético Madrid 2-1 Eibar

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Atletico Madrid celebrateImage source, Reuters
Image caption,

Mandzukic joined Atletico from Bayern Munich this summer

Champions Atletico Madrid earned their first league win of the season as Mario Mandzukic scored to see off a stern challenge from promoted Eibar.

Mandzukic - a summer signing from Bayern Munich - headed in from eight yards after Miranda had earlier scored.

Atletico manager Diego Simeone is serving an eight-match touchline ban and his side's lead was cut when Eibar's Abraham curled in from range.

Eibar rallied and striker Angel poked a one-on-one chance wide late on.

It was a glorious chance to earn a point for La Liga's smallest club at the home of the champions.

Eibar are embarking on their first season in Spain's top tier, and humbled Real Sociedad in their opening fixture last weekend.

Image source, Europress
Image caption,

Diego Simeone was sent to the stands against Real Madrid in the Super Cup final and is now serving an eight-match touchline ban

The Basque club looked uneasy early on at the Vicente Calderon, but grew into the fixture and made it a difficult night for last season's Champions League runners-up, who were watched by their manager from the stands.

Simeone has been banished from the touchline as a result of his behaviour in the second-leg of his side's 2-1 aggregate win over Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup.

The 44-year-old guided Los Roji Blancos to a first league win since 1996 last season and after a summer in which Diego Costa and Filipe Luis have joined Chelsea for large sums, must hope a number of summer acquisitions fill the voids left.

A goalless draw at Rayo Vallecano in their season opener did little to inspire, but when Miranda rose to head in unmarked on 11 minutes, the home side looked likely to assert their dominance.

Mandzukic - bought from Bayern Munich to replace the 27 league goals scored by Costa last season - had already opened his Atletico account in the Spanish Super Cup win and effortlessly headed home their second.

Craving the same start...

Last season, Atletico won 27 points from 27 to set the pace at the start of the season and build a platform from which they would go on to win their first title since 1996

Eibar kept a clean sheet in beating Sociedad but looked out of their depth defensively in Madrid.

Set pieces were a particular problem, with both headed goals notched with little resistance but their neat approach play at the other end was spectacularly rounded off by left-back Abraham.

The 28-year-old, who has previous La Liga experience with Real Zaragoza, curled an effort into the top corner from 25 yards.

Simeone looked animated in the second half as Eibar enjoyed the initiative with right-back Boveda wasting a headed chance from six yards before Angel poked wide in the final five minutes.

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