Atlético Madrid Vs Espanyol — atlético madrid vs espanyol: Sørloth stars in 4-2 Metropolitano comeback

In a match billed as atlético madrid vs espanyol, Atlético Madrid came from behind to beat RCD Espanyol 4-2 at the Estadio Metropolitano on Saturday night. The visitors struck inside six minutes but Los Rojiblancos recovered, with Alexander Sørloth scoring twice as Atleti hit four past Espanyol.

Atlético Madrid Vs Espanyol: Match summary

Espanyol took an early lead after just six minutes. Tyrhys Dolan was released down the right and bent a low cross into the box; Marcos Llorente’s attempted clearance struck Jofre Carreras, who bundled the ball into the net. Atlético responded in the first half when Marcos Llorente delivered a cross to the back post for Alexander Sørloth, who met it with a first-time finish — described in the coverage as coming roughly 15 minutes after the opener — to pull Atleti level.

First-half: early Espanyol opener

The visitors were described as catching Atleti on the break, with the early goal arriving after Atlético were carved open. Marcos Llorente’s involvement was noted both for the attempted clearance that ricocheted to Jofre Carreras and for his later assist to Sørloth. Coverage flagged that Llorente had a shaky start watching Jofre Carreras sneak from behind him to bundle the ball home, but that he soon made up for it by guiding the cross that levelled the game.

Second-half surge and goals

The second half brought a rapid swing in Atlético’s favour. Giuliano Simeone opened the scoring for the hosts early in the second half with a tidy finish that slotted through Marko Dmitrović’s legs in the 49th minute. Ademola Lookman then met Matteo Ruggeri’s whipped cross with a fine diving header in the 58th minute to extend the lead. Sørloth later doubled his tally after hitting the foot of the post; a short while earlier Cyril Ngonge had seen a looping effort hit the bar at the other end. The Norwegian’s second came when he headed off the inside of the upright to make it Atlético’s fourth. Espanyol substitute Edu Expósito pulled one back late on with a shot that deflected beyond Jan Oblak after a corner, but that goal failed to spark a comeback.

Player ratings and key notes

Player ratings published for the match gave Jan Oblak a 5, with commentators noting that two goals ended up in his net and that the first was described as a strange finish that an in-form Oblak would save in the writer’s opinion. The second goal conceded by Oblak was called a well-hit strike from an area any goalkeeper would be disappointed to be beaten from; otherwise the goalkeeper had little to do.

Marcos Llorente received a 7. He was applauded loudly and proudly by his manager when he left the game on 74 minutes — the applause noted as a testament to the role he played — and the report carried the line: "We’re going to need his lungs over the next few weeks. " Marc Pubill earned a 7 for tidy passing in the first half and a better display after an irregular outing on Wednesday night. Dávid Hancko was rated 7 and praised for his ball-playing capabilities, described as one of the best centre-backs in Europe in that attribute and unlucky not to get on the scoresheet. Matteo Ruggeri received a 7, was called an avid fan who showed strong understanding with Sørloth, and was credited with two assists: a flick-on from a corner for Ademola Lookman and a cross onto Sørloth’s head. Giuliano Simeone was given a 7 for a much-needed tidy finish early in the second half. Johnny Cardoso was described as "the ultimate utility midfielder when asked to sit in the space between the defence and the creative players. He allows his manager to make up " — the line in the player notes ends mid-sentence.

Late scenes and aftermath

Sørloth’s pair of goals — his first to level the game and his later header to complete his brace and Atlético’s fourth — secured the three points for the hosts at the Metropolitano. Edu Expósito’s late deflected finish reduced the deficit to 4-2 but did not alter the outcome. The match narrative in the coverage emphasised Atlético piling on pressure after the first-half equaliser and highlighted attempts at both ends that struck woodwork before Sørloth’s second arrived.

A separate brief notice titled "Just a moment... " was present in the material provided.

Final score: Atlético Madrid 4, RCD Espanyol 2.