Barcelona teenager Yamal becomes youngest scorer in Spanish league in 2-2 draw at Granada
MADRID (AP) — Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal added his name to the record books again on Sunday, becoming the youngest scorer in the Spanish league in Barcelona's 2-2 draw at Granada.
At the age of 16 years, 87 days, Yamal surpassed Malaga player Fabrice Olinga, who was 16 years, 98 days old when he scored against Celta Vigo in 2012.
Yamal scored his milestone goal by pushing a loose ball into the open net in first-half stoppage time.
He was already the youngest player to debut in the league, and the youngest to start in the Champions League. Yamal also has the record for youngest to play for Barcelona from last season. He became the youngest scorer in a European Championship qualifier after coming on last month as the youngest player to appear for Spain.
“When we see that a player can help the team, we give him the opportunity," Barcelona coach Xavi said. "Lamine is helping us a lot and making a difference. He scored an important goal.”
Yamal's goal helped Barcelona pull closer after Bryan Zaragoza put the hosts 2-0 ahead with a couple of goals in the first half-hour, including one less than 20 seconds into the match at Los Carmenes Stadium. His second came in the 29th minute after a couple of nifty moves to clear a defender inside the area.
Sergi Roberto equalized in the 85th for Barcelona, which almost left with the victory when João Félix scored in stoppage time but saw the goal called back because of an offside by Ferran Torres.
The result left defending champion Barcelona in third place, one point behind fellow Catalan club Girona and two behind rival Real Madrid. Both Girona and Madrid won Saturday.
Barcelona was without striker Robert Lewandowski because of an injury. Midfielder Fermín López made his debut at 20 as a starter with the Catalan club.
Barcelona lost defender Jules Koundé with an injury just before halftime.
It was the third straight draw for Granada, which stayed in second-to-last place.
ATLETICO KEEPS WINNING
Antoine Griezmann scored with a late penalty kick as Atletico Madrid beat Real Sociedad 2-1 for its fifth straight win in all competitions.
Griezmann converted from the spot in the 89th minute following a hand ball to move the team to fourth place. Sociedad stayed sixth with its first setback after four consecutive wins.
Atletico had won three consecutive league games and beat Feyenoord 3-2 in the group stage of the Champions League on Wednesday. Diego Simeone’s team is unbeaten at home since January, with 15 wins and one draw in all competitions.
Atletico's home winning streak in the league reached 13 matches, one short of its best-ever run from 2012-13.
Samuel Lino put the hosts ahead by scoring his first goal with Atletico in the 22nd before Mikel Oyarzabal equalized in a breakaway in the 73rd. Griezmann, a former Sociedad player, calmly rolled his penalty into the corner to secure Atletico the victory. The France forward has scored four goals in his last five matches with Atletico.
The result kept Atletico unbeaten in its last eight league matches against Sociedad, with five wins and three draws since 2019.
Sociedad had won four in a row and hadn’t conceded in its last three games in all competitions, including a 2-0 win at Salzburg in the group stage of the Champions League, a competition it hadn’t played in nearly a decade. The Basque Country team had beaten rival Athletic Bilbao 3-0 at home in its previous league game.
OTHER RESULTS
Saúl Coco and Marc Cardona scored a goal in each half as Las Palmas won 2-1 at Villarreal for its second win in a row. Villarreal is winless in four straight league matches, with two losses and two draws.
Celta Vigo was held by 10-man Getafe to a 2-2 draw. It was the fifth straight match without a win for the team coached by Rafa Benítez, which sits in the relegation zone. Celta striker Iago Aspas missed a 14th-minute penalty kick. Midtable Getafe had defender Domingos Duarte sent off with a second yellow card in the 30th.
Alaves drew 1-1 with visiting Real Betis, with both goals coming in the first half.
COACHING CHANGES
Sevilla fired coach Jose Luis Mendilibar after a poor start to the season. He leaves after two wins, five draws and four losses in all competitions. He had taken over Sevilla last season, winning eight games, drawing six and losing three. Sevilla is 14th in the league with eight points from eight matches. It drew 2-2 with Rayo Vallecano at home on Saturday.
Last-place Almeria, the only team without a league win this season, hired coach Gaizka Garitano on Sunday. The announcement came two days after it lost 3-0 at Athletic Bilbao. The club had been led by interim coach Alberto Lasarte after Vicente Moreno was fired.
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