3/15/12

Europa League: Besiktas 0 – 3 Atletico Madrid

Atletico Madrid completed a convincing aggregate victory over Besiktas thanks to a 3-0 win in the second leg of their Europa League last-16 tie in Turkey. Diego Simeone's men passed up a number of chances on the counter-attack in the second period but did eventually double their lead when Besiktas keeper Cenk Gonen barely challenged for a deflected cross from the right and Radamel Falcao was able to nod in his sixth European goal of the campaign.
And in stoppage time substitute Eduardo Salvio added a third for the Spanish visitors with an accurate low drive from the edge of the area. Already leading 3-1 from the first leg the Spaniards were rarely troubled and took the lead on 26 minutes as Juanfran's through-ball found Arda Turan and he squared for Adrian Lopez to slot into the empty net. 
Prior to kick-off Arda had warned his team-mates of the hostile reception that lay in store for them but despite the encouragement of a vociferous home support the only threat from Besiktas came from a Hugo Almeida effort on five minutes which Thibaut Courtois easily held. Falcao also saw an effort curl just wide before Adrian tried his luck again but was denied by a smart stop by Gonen at his near post. Thereafter Atletico were quite happy to be patient and keep possession and eventually they carved open the Turkish defence as Arda left Gonen prone on the ground with a clever spin and fed Adrian to roll home the opener. 
Adrian was the main threat after the break as well as he fired a shot just over the bar and then guided a Filipe Luis cross just beyond the far post. By this point the home crowd had turned on their side and Besiktas' misery was complete when Salvio raced through in the final minute of stoppage time to score his third goal of the tie and secure a fully merited 6-1 aggregate win for the 2010 Europa League winners. 
However, when the second goal did arrive the goalkeeper was most certainly at fault as Falcao simply outjumped him to head home the simplest of finishes from two yards.

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