MX23RW : Monday, December 23 06:53:18| >> :120:27522:27522:
[monks data]
Atletico Madrid logo
Europa League | Round of 16
Mar 8, 2018 at 6pm UK
 
Lokomotiv Moscow

3-0

Niguez (22'), Costa (47'), Koke (90')
FT(HT: 1-0)

Atletico Madrid take commanding first-leg lead over Lokomotiv Moscow

Atletico take commanding first-leg lead
© SilverHub
Atletico Madrid open up a 3-0 first-leg lead in their Europa League last-16 tie against Lokomotiv Moscow with a commanding performance at the Wanda Metropolitano.

Atletico Madrid made home advantage count to open up a commanding 3-0 lead over Lokomotiv Moscow in their Europa League last-16 tie this evening.

Saul Niguez got Atletico up and running with a 30-yard rocket and Diego Costa doubled his side's cushion to take back to Moscow two minutes into the second half.

A 90th-minute third from Koke then set the two-time winners well on their way to the quarter-finals.

The Spaniards had won their previous five games at Wanda Metropolitano without conceding and continued that impressive run against the Russian Premier League leaders.

Lokomotiv, playing in this stage of the Europa League for the first time, were content to sit behind the ball and try to make it difficult for Atletico to create clear-cut chances.

Although it only took the hosts 22 minutes to break this rearguard, it needed a moment of magic from Saul as he surprised Guilherme with a left-footed shot into the top corner.

The Lokomotiv goalkeeper nearly gifted Atletico a second on the half-hour mark when he wandered off his line and tried to take on Antoine Griezmann, who pinched the ball but could not slot it into the vacant net from the left byline, his side-footed shot rolling wide of the post.

Griezmann came close again two minutes into the second half when his cushioned volley was pushed away by Guilherme, with the rebound falling to Costa for the striker to steer home his sixth goal in 10 matches.

With Jan Oblak missing with a hand injury, Axel Werner made his debut for Atletico but Lokomotiv did not work the rookie goalkeeper until the 78th minute when he held on to Mikhail Lysov's piledriver.

Atletico's dominance allowed Simeone to spare Griezmann, Costa and Angel Correa in the last quarter, but the hosts still had enough on the field to extend their advantage ahead of next week's second leg.

Juanfran's high pressing earned him the ball inside the Lokomotiv half, and the full-back had the awareness to spot the run of Koke, who guided the ball inside the far post with a first-time shot from 12 yards.

ATLETICO (4-4-2): Werner; Juanfran, Gimenez, Lucas, Luis; Thomas, Saul, Correa (Torres, 75'), Koke; Griezmann (Vitolo, 67'), Costa (Gameiro, 75')

LOKOMOTIV (4-5-1): Guilherm; Ignatjev (Lysov, 53'), Corluka, Kvirkvelia, Rybus; Anton Miranchuk (Kolomeytsev, 71'), Denisov, Pejcinovic, Fernandes, Aleksei Miranchuk; Eder

ID:320429: cacheID:320429:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:4593:
Written by
Joe Fish
No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone during the Champions League match with Leicester City on April 18, 2017
Read Next:
Simeone: 'Atletico in brilliant form'
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS

League Phase

TeamPWDLPTS
1AZ00000
2Ajax00000
3Anderlecht00000
4Athletic Bilbao00000
5Besiktas00000
6Bodo/Glimt00000
7Braga00000
8Dynamo Kiev00000
9Frankfurt00000
10Elfsborg00000
11Midtjylland00000
12FC Twente00000
13FCSB00000
14Fenerbahce00000
15Ferencvaros00000
16Galatasaray00000
17Hoffenheim00000
18Lazio00000
19Ludogorets00000
20Lyon00000
21M. Tel Aviv00000
22Malmo00000
23Man Utd00000
24Nice00000
25Olympiacos00000
26PAOK00000
27Porto00000
28Qarabag00000
29Rangers00000
30Real Sociedad00000
31RFS00000
32Roma00000
33Slavia Prague00000
34Spurs00000
35Union SG00000
36Plzen00000


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!