Sorloth treble lifts Atletico

Alexander Sorloth's hat-trick fired Atletico Madrid into the Champions League last 16 with an emphatic 4-1 win over Club Brugge on Tuesday, progressing 7-4 on aggregate from the playoff round.

Brugge could not keep the Norwegian target man at bay as he settled an entertaining tie with a display of lethal finishing at the Metropolitano Stadium.

After Joel Ordonez had canceled out Sorloth's opener, Johnny Cardoso smashed Atletico in front and Sorloth added two more goals late on to seal his team's victory.

"We did well to keep pushing on in attack, my teammates gave good passes to me, and I just had to score," Sorloth told Movistar.

"I'm feeling very good at this point of the season, and finishing well in front of goal is a fantastic feeling for a striker."

Diego Simeone's Atletico, who has never won the competition, took a few minutes to get going in the early exchanges, with David Hancko blocking Hugo Vetlesen's effort well, as the visitor attempted to capitalize.

However, the Spaniards took the lead when goalkeeper Jan Oblak went route one from the back, finding Sorloth in a good position.

The powerful striker held off his marker and beat goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, who handled the shot poorly and might have kept it out.

Julian Alvarez headed wide as Atletico, ascendant, looked for a second.

The Rojiblancos twice lost the lead in Belgium last week against Ivan Leko's side, and it happened again a few minutes before halftime. Ordonez nodded home from the goal-line after Brandon Mechele flicked on a corner into his path.

Brugge almost took the lead before the break, but Oblak made a superb save to claw out Vetlesen's header.

Instead, Atletico went ahead shortly after the restart, with American midfielder Cardoso hammering home from the edge of the box after the ball was cleared into his path.

"I'm not thinking about Liverpool or Tottenham, I'm enjoying today's game, and being in the last 16 for another season is very important," Simeone told Movistar.

"I felt that (Sorloth) was in good form, he's different to some of the other players we have ... He was good in the last 15 minutes of the first leg (as a substitute), good last weekend against Espanyol and good once again today."

AFP