UCL: Sorloth hits hat-trick as Atletico Madrid down Club Brugge 4-1
Alexander Sorloth scored his first Champions League hat-trick to help Atletico Madrid defeat a resilient Club Brugge and set up a last-16 tie with either Tottenham or Liverpool. The Norway
Alexander Sorloth scored his first Champions League hat-trick to help Atletico Madrid defeat a resilient Club Brugge and set up a last-16 tie with either Tottenham or Liverpool.
The Norway striker opened the scoring in the 23rd minute when he collected a long ball from keeper Jan Oblak and his half-volley squirmed past Simon Mignolet.
But Brugge levelled 13 minutes later when Joel Ordonez - who scored an own goal in the home first leg when the two sides drew 3-3 - headed level from a corner.
With the tie in the balance, United States international Johnny Cardoso thrashed home a low strike three minutes into the second half to put Atleti 5-4 ahead on aggregate.
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The impressive Sorloth then added gloss to the La Liga side's performance with two goals in the final 14 minutes at the Wanda Metropolitano to book a meeting with either Spurs or Liverpool in the next round.
After a sluggish end to last week's first leg where they threw away a two-goal lead, Diego Simeone's side made a fast start on home soil with Sorloth on target.
The forward - starting in place of Antoine Griezmann - showed good control when picked out by Oblak and caught Mignolet off guard with a shot from inside the area.
But Brugge refused to be overawed like in their battling first-leg comeback, levelling nine minutes before the break. Brandon Mechele flicked a corner on at the near post for Ordonez to head home and make amends for his own goal in the first leg.
Hugo Vetlesen thought he headed the visitors ahead less than two minutes later when he connected with a Christos Tzolis ball, only to be denied by a stellar save from Oblak.
Atletico stepped up a gear after the break and were ahead again as midfielder Cardoso scored his first goal for the club with a rasping volley from outside the box.
The in-form Sorloth - who netted twice against Espanyol in La Liga on Saturday - completed his hat-trick with two confident finishes in the final 14 minutes to end his side's three-game winless run in the Champions League.
BBC
