Sorloth hat-trick and Cardoso strike send Atletico through in Champions League
Atletico Madrid beat Club Brugge 4-1 at the Wanda Metropolitano to win the tie 7-4 on aggregate, a result powered by Alexander Sorloth's first Champions League hat-trick and an early second-half strike from Johnny Cardoso. The victory seals progression in the champions league and sets Atletico up for a last-16 meeting with either Tottenham or Liverpool.
Alexander Sorloth's 23rd-minute opener
Alexander Sorloth opened the scoring in the 23rd minute, collecting a long ball from goalkeeper Jan Oblak and sending a half-volley that squirmed past Simon Mignolet. Sorloth had started the game in place of Antoine Griezmann and his finish handed Atletico an early lead on a night they needed to overturn a tense first-leg finish.
Joel Ordonez equaliser and Brandon Mechele's assist
Club Brugge levelled 13 minutes after Sorloth's opener when Joel Ordonez headed home from a corner. The delivery came when Brandon Mechele flicked the corner on at the near post, a response that made amends for Ordonez's own goal in the home first leg when the two sides drew 3-3. Less than two minutes later Hugo Vetlesen connected with a Christos Tzolis pass and thought he had put the visitors ahead, only for Oblak to produce a stellar save to keep the score level at the break.
Johnny Cardoso's first goal for Atletico changes the tie
Three minutes into the second half Cardoso thrashed home a low strike — described as a rasping volley from outside the box — to put Atletico 5-4 ahead on aggregate. That finish was the midfielder's first goal for the club and immediately swung momentum back to Diego Simeone's side, who had made a fast start at home after throwing away a two-goal lead in last week's first leg.
Wanda Metropolitano: Sorloth's late double completes hat-trick
Sorloth added gloss to the scoreline with two confident finishes in the final 14 minutes at the Wanda Metropolitano. Those goals completed his first Champions League hat-trick and pushed his season tally in the competition to five. He had been in form domestically as well, having netted twice against Espanyol on Saturday, and his treble ended Atletico's three-game winless run in the Champions League.
Atletico's next step: Champions League last-16 with Tottenham or Liverpool
The victory sets Atletico up for a last-16 tie against Premier League opposition, with the opponents to be either Tottenham or Liverpool. The win restored momentum for Diego Simeone's side at a crucial stage of the campaign and resolved the tie 7-4 on aggregate after a 4-1 night in Madrid.
After the match the displayed player ratings reflected the average of all user submissions once the rating window had closed.
What makes this notable is the sequence: a composed 23rd-minute opener from Sorloth, a spirited Brugge response from Ordonez, then a decisive early second-half intervention from a player scoring his first goal for the club, before Sorloth's late double sealed progression. The timing matters because Cardoso's finish — three minutes after the restart — shifted aggregate momentum at precisely the point Brugge had begun to believe they could threaten again.
