Atlético Madrid 2-0 Sporting Europa League: goals, action
Koke and Antoine Griezmann were the beneficiaries of slack Sporting defending to put Atlético Madrid well on course for a Europa League semi-final spot.
Sporting CP graced the Wanda Metropolitano with a brand of omnishambles defending that is rarely seen in the latter stages of a European competition. Koke profitted from a slack Sebastián Coates pass after just 23 seconds, and Antoine Griezmann made the most of Jeremy Mathieu's slip-up shortly before the interval.
Sporting's porous defence constrasts starkly with Atlético's rear-guard. In the second half Los Colchoneros passed the eight-hour mark without conceding a goal at home. Sporting did threaten, fleetingly. Gelson Martins and Fredy Montero both missed one-on-one chances, the latter in added time at the end of the match.
Sporting came in to the match walking a displinary tightrope. Bas Dost and Fabio Coentrao both received yellow cards that rule them out of the return leg in Lisbon. But even with everyone available, it is hard to imagine that Sporting could strangle this tie from Atlético's clutches. When they have a lead, they don't often let it slip.