Barrios double gets Atletico back on track
SEATTLE: Pablo Barrios scored twice as Atletico Madrid bounced back from their Club World Cup opening defeat to Paris Saint-Germain with a 3-1 win over the Seattle Sounders on Thursday.
Atletico were outclassed by PSG in a 4-0 loss at the Rose Bowl in Group B on Sunday but their quality was on full display in a convincing victory at Lumen Field.
Seattle were hoping to emulate Inter Miami's upset victory over European opposition earlier in the day but while the Florida side can call on Lionel Messi, the Sounders have more modest talents and were fortunate to escape a heavier loss.
The Spanish side looked determined to put the game to bed as soon as possible and with some better finishing they might have done so.
Norwegian Alexander Sorloth missed an early opening and then Julian Alvarez showed deft footwork to weave his way into the box but floated his shot wide of the post.
But the breakthrough came in the 11th minute when Giuliano Simeone, son of Atletico coach Diego, burst down the right and crossed low to Barrios whose fierce strike crashed in off the underside of the bar.
Sorloth then wasted a great chance from close range, chesting down and blasting over the bar and he was denied by Stefan Frei when one-on-one with the Sounders keeper.
It was one-way traffic but somehow Atletico only had the single goal to their name.
They thought they had a penalty when Simeone was ruled to have been brought down in the box by Reed Baker-Whiting and the referee pointed to the spot but after being called to the monitor for a video review, he overturned his decision.
At the other end, Baker-Whiting whistled a shot just wide on the stroke of half-time as Seattle began to show some of the spirit that they had shown in their narrow 2-1 loss to Botofogo in their opener.
Simeone brought on Belgian Axel Witsel at the break and the 36-year-old made an instant impact - Marcos Llorente's shot was tipped onto the underside of the bar and Robin Le Normand clipped the ball across the box for Witsel to nod in and make it 2-0.
That looked to be game over but Seattle fought back with a smart shot on the turn in the box from Albert Rusnak.
Five minutes later though Barrios added his second when a long throw reached him at the back of the box and he placed his shot with precision into the far corner.
Alvarez saw a volley from edge of the box hit the top of the post and the glimmer of hope gave Seattle cause to fight hard in the latter stages.
The Sounders will be eliminated from the tournament if PSG avoid defeat against Botofogo later on Thursday. — AFP
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