Atlético Madrid 4-1 Club Brugge [7-4 agg]: Atléti to face Spurs or Liverpool after Sorloth bags hat-trick
· Yahoo Sports
Atlético Madrid claimed a 4-1 victory against Club Brugge in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League play-off, progressing as 7-4 aggregate winners after last week’s thrilling draw in Belgium.
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Alexander Sorloth netted a first-half opener at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano on Tuesday, but the visitors found a way to restore parity before the break when Joel Ordóñez nodded home from a corner at the back post.
Diego Simeone’s men reclaimed the lead just minutes into the second half through Johnny Cardoso, extending their advantage late on as Sorloth scored twice to complete a stunning hat-trick.
Atléti will face Liverpool or Spurs in the round-of-16, with the draw set to take place at 11:00 GMT on Friday 27 February.
As it happened
After a thrilling 3-3 draw at the Jan Breydelstadion last week, in which Club Brugge hauled themselves level twice after going behind, it was all to play for at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano.
Alex Baena came close to restoring Atléti’s aggregate advantage inside the opening 10 minutes, although the Spaniard couldn’t quite keep his shot on target after connecting with Koke’s deflected cross.
But Diego Simeone’s men did go on to draw first blood. Alexander Sorloth latched onto a long ball from Jan Oblak, getting the better of Brandon Mechele and threading his strike through the defender’s leg, past a hapless Simon Mignolet, who really should have done better.
Tuesday’s hosts could have further extended their lead soon after when Matteo Ruggeri’s cross from the left flank fell for Julián Álvarez, but the former Manchester City forward sent his header high and wide.
It was a missed opportunity that swiftly came back to bite Atléti, who once again let their advantage slip in this tie as an inspired Club Brugge restored parity through Joel Ordóñez.
The Ecuadorian, who scored an own goal to momentarily give the colchoneros a 3-2 lead last week, headed home at the back post after Mechele flicked a corner delivery towards the 21-year-old.
Ivan Leko’s visitors had two further chances to take the lead before the break. Christos Tzolis and Hugo Vetlesen combined twice in quick succession, although Jan Oblak was equal to both of the Norwegian’s efforts.
But Atléti wasted no time pulling back ahead, needing just three second-half minutes for Johnny Cardoso to thunder an impressive strike from the edge of the box past Mignolet, netting his first goal for the colchoneros in the process.
The hosts, keen to avoid letting their lead slip for the fourth time in this tie, sought to extend their cushion and a sustained period of pressure in the final third just before the hour mark presented a great opportunity to do so, although Sorloth’s header was claimed with ease by the Belgian shotstopper.
The Norwegian made amends for that miss inside the final quarter of an hour in the Spanish capital, though. Antoine Griezmann and Ademola Lookman, both introduced as substitutes, combined for a tidy one-two inside the penalty area, with the Nigerian international squaring for Sorloth to slot home from close range.
And Atléti’s frontman was not done there, timing his run to perfection inside the dying minutes to meet Ruggeri’s cross and thunder home his third of the night, confirming a 4-1 win on the night for Diego Simeone’s men.