Atletico Madrid have kept their faint hopes of a Champions League knockout place alive thanks to a 2-0 win over Roma at the Wanda Metropolitano.
Both sides were quick out of the starting blocks and traded half-chances from the off, with plenty of possession and quick football in an entertaining start to the contest.
On 24 minutes, Yannick Carrasco fired a low ball across the Roma goal, with both Koke and Antoine Griezmann stretching to divert it goalwards, but neither connected as the chance went amiss.
Atletico had the ball in the back of the net just before the break through a deflected shot, but the referee had already blown his whistle for a Roma free kick after the ball struck the arm of Augusto Fernandez in the build-up.
With Los Colchoneros desperate to break the deadlock and keep their slender Champions League hopes alive, they turned the screw and weighed in with numerous chances against the Giallorossi after the break.
On 55 minutes, Carrasco received the ball wide on the right wing, sprinted into the box and cut inside, beating two Roma defenders before firing a shot at goal which was charged down by Manolas.
Atletico were almost caught out on the hour mark, however, as Radja Nainggolan tried his luck from distance, catching Jan Oblak off guard, but the effort struck the post, bounced back into the six-yard box and was eventually cleared.
Roma would come to rue that miss because their opponents went on to open the scoring in the 69th minute, Angel Correa racing onto a ball over the top, keeping it in play and sending a cross into the box, which Griezmann acrobatically drove home at the far post.
The visitors then went down to 10 men in the 83rd minute as Bruno Peres was shown a second yellow card for a late tackle on Felipe Luis and, just two minutes later, Atletico wrapped up all three points as Kevin Gameiro beat the offside trap, rounded the oncoming Alisson, and slotted home from a tight angle.
The result means that the Spanish giants now sit third in Group C on six points, two behind second-placed Roma, and still have a slim chance of qualifying for the next round if other results go in their favour.
Giuseppe Labellarte
