Spanish professional football club Atletico Madrid defeated Espanyol thanks to a-winning goal by Alex Baena, who came on as a substitute for Lee Kang-in, extending their winning streak in the league to five games.

Atletico secured a 1-0 away victory against Espanyol in the 9th round of the 2026-2027 La Liga season held today (the 17th) at the RCDE Stadium in Barcelona, Spain.

The decisive goal came late in the 89th minute, and the hero was Baena, who had replaced Lee in the second half.

Receiving a pass from Julian Alvarez at the penalty arc, Baena unleashed a sharp right-footed shot that pierced the left side of the net, sealing the victory.

Extending their winning streak to five matches, second-place Atletico (22 points, 7 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss) narrowed the gap with league leaders FC Barcelona, who have played one game fewer, to just 2 points.

Espanyol sits in 12th place with 8 points.

Lee Kang-in, who started the match, moved dynamically across the center and both flanks to create attacking opportunities.

Lee was also the first player from either team to register a shot, doing so just two minutes into the first half.

He finished a pass from Jonathan David with a left-footed curling shot, which missed wide of the left goalpost.

In the 19th minute of the first half, Lee's mid-range shot during a breakthrough was blocked by the goalkeeper, and 10 minutes later, his penetrating pass failed to connect into a shot by Giuliano Simeone.

Actively attempting to win back possession whenever opportunities arose, Lee received a yellow card in the 43rd minute of the first half for a rough foul on Bryan Zaragoza.

A struggling Espanyol expressed regret in the 44th minute of the first half when Leandro Cabrera's mid-range shot hit the goalpost and bounced out.

Atletico also hit the woodwork in the 17th minute of the second half.

A surprise mid-range shot by Marcos Llorente, following an exquisite back-heel pass from Lee, brushed the goalkeeper's fingertips and struck the crossbar.

Lee, who showed good movement but failed to record an attacking point, was substituted for Baena right after Llorente's shot.

Lee currently records 2 goals and 1 assist in the league this season.

Atletico continued to search for a goal with a mid-range shot by Alvarez in the 76th minute and a header by Morten Hjulmand in the 77th minute, but struggled to break through until Baena's strike secured a valuable 3 points.

(Photo: Getty Images)