Atletico, Valencia breeze into Copa del Rey quarters
Atletico Madrid celebrate beating the third-tier Lleida on Tuesday. — Photo akamaized.net
Football
MADRID — Atletico Madrid booked their place in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey on Tuesday after seeing off third-tier Lleida, while new signing Luciano Vietto’s hat-trick fired Valencia past Las Palmas.
Playing in front of a sparsely populated Wanda Metropolitano, it took dominant Atletico until the 五 七th minute to extend their 四-0 first leg lead, Yannick Carrasco meeting Diego Costa’s cutback and slotting home the opener.
Kevin Gameiro tapped in the second 一 七 minutes later after a neat burst into the box from Angel Correa, and Vitolo made it three nine minutes from the end, racing through and crashing home his first Atletico goal to complete a 七-0 aggregate victory.
Argentine forward Vietto ended a long goal drought in spectacular style less than a week after arriving at Valencia on loan from Atletico, as Las Palmas were dispatched 四-0.
Following a 一- 一 draw in the opening leg, Vietto put Valencia ahead at the Mestalla with his first competitive goal since December 二0 一 六.
The 二 四-year-old, who found himself relegated down the pecking order at Atletico after Costa’s return to the club from Chelsea, struck again shortly after half-time before Nemanja Maksimovic added a third.
Vietto sealed the rout and a 五- 一 aggregate win midway through the second half with a stunning 五0-yard strike after spotting Las Palmas goalkeeper Raul Lizoain well off his line. — AFP
