Chelsea beat Atletico with spectacular Giroud strike

Antoine Griezmann's brace helps Atletico Madrid sink Club Brugge

04/10/2018

Antoine Griezmann had a goal in each half -- including the 8,000th Champions League goal -- and Koke also scored in added time to lead Atletico Madrid to a 3-1 win over Club Brugge on Wednesday.

Griezmann opened the scoring in the first half and scored another goal midway through the second after Club Brugge equalised with a long-range shot by Arnaut Danjuma just before half-time.

Atletico was struggling to break through the Brugge defence when Griezmann scored the decisive goal with a shot from inside the area after a pass by Diego Costa, who had to be immediately substituted with an apparent muscle injury.

It was an important victory for Atletico, who faltered against the team considered the weakest in its group last season. It was held to a pair of draws by Qarabag -- results that led to the team's elimination in the group stage.

The victory also extended Atletico's unbeaten streak in all competitions to six games.

Brugge, back in the Champions League group stage after a one-year absence, were trying to halt a seven-game losing streak in group games in the competition.

It had been difficult for Atletico in the first half against Brugge until Griezmann opened the scoring in the 28th minute. He controlled the ball with his chest after a cross toward the far post and calmly sent a low side-footed shot into the opposite corner, scoring his first Champions League goal of the season.

The second, coming from inside the area in the 67th, was the 8,000th since the competition began in a new format in 1992.

Brugge equalised through Danjuma, whose booming shot from a difficult angle on the left flank went into the far corner past Atletico keeper Jan Oblak. The goal stunned the Madrid crowd and ignited the very loud Brugge fans who made the trip.

It was only the second goal conceded at home by Atletico this season.

Simeone started with three men at the back, but added Filipe Luis as a left-back in the second half to revert to a four-man defense. The move allowed Atletico to press forward more easily and create more scoring chances.

Griezmann nearly scored a third, but had his 20th-minute goal disallowed for offside.

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