Atletico Madrid survive PSV Eindhoven for invaluable three points

PSV Eindhoven 2-3 Atletico Madrid

Atletico Madrid knew that a win away from home in Eindhoven would put them in a strong position to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League. Yet having seen PSV Eindhoven dismantle Liverpool last time out, and with their own away form failing them in La Liga, there was no excess of confidence from Los Rojiblancos.

Any that there was, was quickly removed, as Couhaib Driouech snuck behind Nahuel Molina and laid the ball on a plate for Guus Til to open the scoring after ten minutes. Driouech was then presented with a golden opportunity to give PSV a two-goal lead moments later, but attempted to square for a second time when Jan Oblak’s goal was at his mercy.

From that point, Atletico began to grow into the game more. Pablo Barrios flashed some warning shots narrowly wide from the edge of the box, but it was Alexander Sorloth, perhaps a surprise inclusion, who was causing the most issues. Giuliano Simeone dispossessed Yarek Gasiorowski, who was the only defender nearby. Sorloth then squared for Julian Alvarez to finally break his duck away from home, which dated back nearly four months.

Atletico’s fast start to the second half

After the break, Los Colchoneros grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck, and began applying pressure. A Molina shot after a corner was well saved by Matej Kovar, but David Hancko was the sharpest in the box, latching onto the loose ball and finishing neatly from an angle. Four minutes later, Alvarez played a nice ball in behind for Pablo Barrios from the left wing, and his delightful clipped cross found Alexander Sorloth to finish at the back post with his head. The Norwegian was breaking his own five-year Champions League duck.

PSV had a second wind to come though, and as the second half went on, PSV began applying plenty of pressure. Ricardo Pepi came on and caused havoc in the Atletico backline. After missing one presentable chance, an Ivan Perisic corner to the far post was turned in by Pepi. Armando Obispo then had a golden opportunity to score in front of an open goal in the six-yard box, but he couldn’t control his effort.

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Diego Simeone will be able to defend his side’s approach in the second half, but there is little doubt that they were at the mercy of PSV’s finishing in the final stages of the match. All the same, there were plenty of positives, including a comeback, goals for both Sorloth and Alvarez, and three points that draw them ever so close to a top eight finish. Los Colchoneros sit in 7th for the time being with 12 points, with a one-point advantage over the teams outside the top eight, albeit before a second round on Wednesday.

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