Atletico Madrid beat Las Palmas thanks to Antoine Griezmann free kick

Updated: May 17, 2023, 06:14 am

Antoine Griezmann was on target with the only goal of the match as Atletico Madrid took all three points from their Primera Division curtain raiser with newly promoted Las Palmas.

All eyes were on £25 million signing Jackson Martinez on his competitive debut for the club, but it was the familiar face of Griezmann who quickly took centre-stage at the Vicente Calderon.

The Frenchman finished the club's top scorer last season with 22 league goals and the game was only a few minutes old when he had his first attempt, a snap-shot on the half volley which went just wide of the far post.

He then won the free-kick which led to the opening goal, his powerful effort taking a small deflection off a Las Palmas player and flummoxing goalkeeper Raul Lizoain on its way into the net.

Antoine Griezmann celebrates after scoring what proved to be the winner.
Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images

The former Real Sociedad player tested the Las Palmas stopper again before the break and returning left-back Filipe Luis flashed a shot past the far post. But the visitors failed to register a single shot on target in the first half, in what was their first top flight game in 12 years.

Las Palmas improved after the interval and came to within inches of levelling when David Simon's header from a free-kick brushed the top of the crossbar.

Later in the half Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak came to the hosts' rescue, clawing away a header from Aythami Artiles.

At the other end Martinez came close to scoring on his debut as he ran in to meet a cross from the left, but just missed the target, while Atletico's Koke struck the outside of the post from a free-kick in the last minute.